PDP seeks review of 2019 presidential election judgement

…It’s ridiculous – Lawyers “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said it has resolved to seek a review of the 2019 presidential election judgement at the Supreme Court. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said it has also concluded arrangement to return to Supreme Court to seek […]

…It’s ridiculous – Lawyers

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said it has resolved to seek a review of the 2019 presidential election judgement at the Supreme Court.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said it has also concluded arrangement to return to Supreme Court to seek a review of the Osun, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna states governorship election judgements.

The party said it found it ridiculous and insulting to the sensibilities of the Supreme Court Justices for the APC to “hurriedly” head to the Supreme Court to allegedly attempt to arm-twist the justices to effect a reversal of the “valid, flawless and faultless judgments” on Bayelsa and Zamfara states governorship elections.

“Consequently, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, after comprehensive consultations, states that our party has no choice left, given the manner with which the APC has conducted itself, than to ask for a review of the judgment of the presidential election petition tribunal, where the issue of certificate forgery and or presentation of false information in aid of qualifications was clearly established against the APC and her presidential candidate.

“The same applies to the judgment on the Katsina governorship election petition, where lawyers also established similar issue of certificate forgery. The PDP equally has no choice than to ask the Supreme Court to review the Kano, Kaduna and Katsina election judgments, because of manifest violence and substantial non-compliance to our electoral law,” the party stated.

It also asked the apex court to review its judgment on the Osun governorship election in view of, “manifest, complete and total disregard to our electoral rules in the conduct of the elections.

“Our party will not fold its hands and watch enemies of our hard-earned democracy, who contributed nothing to its birth, to continue to appropriate our collective sovereignty for their selfish political gains while destroying our institutions and holding our people to ransom,” PDP said.

It alleged that the APC-led government was desperate to, “annex the Supreme Court, subjugate and browbeat the justices and direct judicial determinations to suit their selfish ends.”

Lawyers react

Reacting to the fresh development, Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) said part of the problem of political parties now seeking a review of judgments of the Supreme Court is that the entire judicial system is being brought to disrepute.

He added that the rate at which judicial decisions are being discussed in the press, even by senior lawyers, tended to prejudice the minds of the people against those who made those decisions, which he described as “unfair.”

“I am just saddened by the way things are going. I don’t think it is appropriate,” he said.

Also speaking, Tawo Eja Tawo (SAN) described the action of political parties returning to the apex court to seek a review as “lawlessness.”

“It is an attempt to demystify the finality of Supreme Court judgments which does not augur well for judiciary and judicial process. It portends danger because it will open the floodgate for similar applications on land or even criminal matters. There must be an end to litigation,” he said.

For his part, Professor Ernest Ojukwu (SAN) said the applications was about the politicians’ struggle for power since all the cases being sought for review are those bordering on politics.

“Unfortunately, the cases that are being championed for review are those concerning political leaders who have brought our nation down on her knees by their very corrupt model of election and governance.

“These cases rather than help with rebuilding confidence in our judiciary as being propagated by some lawyers actually have direct opposite effect of ridiculing the judiciary and justice process. I think the Supreme Court of Nigeria should treat these cases with the greatest contempt it deserves,” he added.

But in a swift reaction,  the APC, through its spokesperson, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu,  said, “inanity has become PDP’s pastime”.

The statement read, “The call by the PDP ,asking the Supreme Court to review its rulings on the Presidential Election and governorship elections in Osun, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina States, has, once again, exposed the joke the opposition party has turned itself into in our nation’s political space.

“Never in the history of our democratic journey has a political party made mockery of what a responsible opposition politics entails. The PDP’s call has once again, reinforced our party’s belief that the PDP has become a clog in the wheels of our country’s political evolution.

“We believe it has been difficult for some leaders of PDP to cope for so long outside of power. There is obviously a lot of idleness at the Wadata House Secretariat of PDP.

“At this period that our government is working hard to ensure food sufficiency in the country, we urge those jobless characters at the Wadata House to seriously consider taking up rice farming. This would make them useful for our country.”