Tribunal: Presidency knocks Atiku over judicial interference claim

The Presidency has faulted claims of interference in the judicial process by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The Presidency, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, on Saturday, described Atiku’s claims as that of a desperate politician that has lost in an election won by President Bola Tinubu.

Alake said: ”The former vice president has not fully recovered from the shock of defeat, hence the current attempt to mischievously rake up another round of inanities that offend basic logic and rational thinking.

”In the ill-thought out and illogical statement, Alhaji Atiku accused the current administration of the governing APC of plotting to undermine the judiciary without providing any shred of evidence.

“The former Vice President Atiku didn’t put forward any convincing argument to support his claims on how the President Tinubu-led administration and APC sought to undercut, undermine and compromise the judiciary.”

Alake further urged Atiku to play by the rule of the game by always upholding democratic tenets and the sanctity of the judiciary.

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The presidential spokesman added: “He should not engage in making spurious and wild allegations aimed at disparaging and discrediting an important arm of government that should serve as the bulwark  for our democracy.

”He shamelessly resorted to this cheap attempt to intimidate and blackmail the judiciary even when he is party to a case before the Presidential Election Petition Court.”

He said neither Tinubu nor the APC had reasons to undermine the judiciary in the hope of any favourable judgment.

Alake stated: ”His lawyers and that of APC have presented very solid defence of the result of the election and we are sure the judiciary will impartially deliver its ruling on the basis of points of law and evidence before it.”

He, however, called on the PDP presidential candidate to allow the judiciary to perform its sacred duty without harassment and his resorting to self-help.

”Attempting to discredit an important institution of state for selfish political end is disingenuous, shameful and unbecoming of a former Vice President of Nigeria,” Alake added.

The Star