Opposition political parties under the aegis of Coalition of
United Political Parties (CUPP) on Thursday raised the alarm over an alleged
plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to alter and jettison the
composition of the proposed seven-member panel that will consider the judgment
of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar, headed to the Supreme Court to file an appeal after rejecting
the tribunal judgment, a development that has spurred the Chief Justice of
Nigeria (CJN) to begin the process of constituting a seven-man panel who will
review the judgment.
However, CUPP at a press conference in Abuja, through its
spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, alleged that APC has been mounting undue
pressure on the CJN and indeed the entire court to accept a handpicked panel
and jettison the age-long tradition of selecting the most senior Justices of
the Supreme Court to sit on the panel.
Ikenga argued that the way by which CJN wants to constitute
the panel is in violation of the age-long practice of appointing the most
senior Justice, since 1979.
He stated that the opposition parties will not accept a
handpicked panel neither will the pronouncement of such panel command the
requite respect and confidence of the people of Nigeria.
According to him, "Today, corruption has been permeated
in the highest levels of the presidency, today Nigeria is indebted more than
ever before, today suffering citizens are being taxed to death, today there is
a craze to generate revenue at the risk of stripping citizens of their minimal
purchasing power which has almost lost all its value due to mismanagement by
this incompetent administration.
"Today they have increased VAT to 7.2%. Today they tax
citizens to deposit their money in banks; today they tax citizens for
withdrawal of their money. Today all parts of the country are insecure with
bandits and terrorist raping and destroying. The economy is bad because the
leader has no capacity to govern and has surrendered his functions to unelected
people. Citizens are charged to court for terrorism for merely speaking out
against this misrule."
Ugochinyere listed the names of 15 Supreme Court Justices
with the date they were appointed as follows: Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, CJN
(2006); Bode Rhodes Vivour (2010); Nwali
Syvester Ngwuta (2011); Mary Odili (2011); Olukayode Ariwoola (2011); Musa
Datijo Mohammad (2012).
Others include Kumayi Bayang Akaahs (2012); Kudirat Kekere-Ekun
(2013); John Inyang Okoro Jsc (2013); Chima Centus Nweze (2014); Amiru Sanisu
Jsc (2015); Amina Adamu Augie (2016); Ejembi Eko Jsc (2016); Paul Adamu Galinje
Jsc (2016) and Uwani Abba Aji Jsc (2018).
He said: "It can be observed from the list that the
youngest of the top seven justices of the court was appointed in 2012 when both
contenders could not have envisaged today. From 1979 to the return to democracy
in 1999, the journey has been about the seniority of Justices when composing
presidential election appeal panel at the Supreme Court."
The CUPP leader added that the coalition wanted this
age-long tradition of composing presidential election dispute panel in order of
seniority maintained because they do not trust the altering of the seniority
list under a Buhari-led APC federal government.
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