The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has described the arm-twisting tactics employed
by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to subvert the course of justice in the ongoing Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area chairmanship election Appeal case as shameful and a further demonstration of the party and Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola’s hatred for democracy and rule of law.
The party said the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Muktar and other well-meaning Nigerians must treat it as a matter of urgency and intervene in the matter to prevent Governor Fashola and his ACN from subverting the will of the people by blackmailing the judiciary into abandoning the case.
Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade, in a release issued today said “it is shameful that Governor Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria will allow the kind of fraud perpetrated during the October 22, 2011 Local Government election and also go further to engage in shameless arm-twisting of the Appeal Panel into abandoning the case.”
“It should be recalled that our party candidate in the October 22, 2011 council polls, Hon. Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro was declared the lawful winner of the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area chairmanship by the election tribunal panel led by Hon. Justice Dolapo Akinsanya on October 4, 2012.
“That decision was appealed by ACN and its candidate Mr. Wale Adeniji.
“Few days ago, the Election Appeal Panel adjourned to November 15, 2012 for adoption of addresses by all parties to the case.
“However, we were surprised to learn that the court announced an adjournment of the case indefinitely without any reason.
“This is an indirect way of ‘arresting’ the Appeal Tribunal judgment or stall the proceedings so as to allow the ACN candidate, Wale Adeniji to continue to enjoy a mandate that does not belong to him.
“One then wonder what would have happened to elections in the country and petitions arising from them if ACN were to be the party in control of the Federal Government.
“It is even more worrisome that Governor Fashola, a senior lawyer is the one at the helms of affairs in Lagos State where rule of law is being sent to the dogs.
“Well-meaning Nigerians must therefore save Lagos State from the political rascals in the ACN before they turn the state into a place where rule of law is meant for the marines.”