The Presidency has leveled accusations against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, asserting that they have propagated “wild and libelous allegations” against President Bola Tinubu and the judiciary.
The Presidency characterizes these claims as a desperate effort to undermine Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The PDP and Atiku Abubakar had raised concerns about the integrity of the judiciary in light of recent court judgments that led to the removal of some governors affiliated with the party in various states.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, conveyed these sentiments in a statement released late Monday, titled “PDP, Atiku raising false alarm.”
Onanuga accused the PDP and Atiku of neglecting introspection and instead blaming external factors for their electoral setbacks, particularly in recent appeal court rulings.
In the statement, Onanuga refuted the PDP’s allegations that President Tinubu, during his tenure as the Governor of Lagos State, suppressed opposition and compromised the judiciary.
He dismissed these claims as an attempt to destabilize Nigeria’s political landscape, emphasizing that Tinubu, as president, has not interfered with judicial decisions.
Onanuga urged Nigerians to disregard the PDP’s malicious allegations and highlighted instances where PDP candidates triumphed over All Progressives Congress candidates in Supreme and Appeal courts, underscoring Tinubu’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
Contrary to Atiku’s repeated assertions, Onanuga clarified that Tinubu has no plans to impose a one-party state, dismissing such claims as baseless and aimed at creating discord in the country.
The statement emphasized the contrast between Tinubu’s democratic credentials and Atiku’s history of electoral misconduct, referencing Atiku’s confession about the 2003 electoral heist in the South West.
The Presidency further called out the PDP for inconsistency, pointing to their celebration of court rulings in their favor in the past while now criticizing the judiciary for decisions against them.
The statement cited a 2019 case in Zamfara State where the court ruled against the APC, suggesting that the PDP should not be overly critical of recent Appeal Court decisions on governorship polls in Plateau, Zamfara, and Nasarawa States.