Edo PDP accuses Bahari of manipulating judiciary
The Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly using the judiciary to upturn election results in their favour.
State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Nehikhare made the allegation during a peaceful protest in Benin against the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Imo state governorship election where Hope Uzodinma was declared winner.
He said the non-violent protest is “deepening democracy in Nigeria and as a means of advocating for Buhari to sign the Electoral Amendment Act into law.”
Nehikhare said their protest is aimed at reinforcing the previous protests nationwide which rejected the Supreme Court’s unjustifiable ruling in the Imo state governorship election as well as highlighting the need and exigency of signing the amended electoral law, which will substantially eliminate electoral malpractices in Nigeria.
The PDP state publicity secretary said the Imo state ruling is a clear misuse of judicial authority and a usurpation of the statutory duties of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Also, he accused the judiciary of becoming a rubber stamp of the executive to the extent that Nigerians now openly challenge the supremacy of the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of legal entanglements, which he described as a recipe for anarchy if unchecked.
He said to put the judiciary and the body responsible for election in the country on check, the President should assent to the amended electoral bill
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“That based on the extant amendments to the electoral law of 2015, Nigerians and Edo people are generally in agreement that when effected, the amended electoral law will ensure free and fair elections across the country.
“Therefore, we have resolved to call on the President to as a matter of urgency, sign into law the amended act and avail Nigerians their universal adult suffrage as guaranteed by the United Nations declaration of human rights,” he said.
