THE Presidency has said the Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in the sanctity and integrity of the judiciary and will not tamper with its independence.
Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, September 4.
Ngelale added that the President was not concerned about the court’s decision, which is expected to be made on Wednesday, September 6, by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
“The President sees no need to threaten judicial officers. He sees no need to raise speculations against the integrity of judicial officers. He believes in the sanctity and integrity of the Nigerian judicial system. He believes the great men and women on the panel will make their decisions based only on the facts before them.
“He will continue to ensure that no matter what the outcome of the judgement is, he does his part and ensure that our institutions continue to be respected, not just by him, but by all actors,” Ngelale stated.
According to the presidential spokesperson, Tinubu is not worried about the court’s decision because he believes he won the election and acknowledges the judiciary is in the best position to decide independently based on the merits of the case at hand.
The ICIR reported on Monday, September 4, that the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPT) fixed Wednesday, September 6, to deliver judgement in the case of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) against the winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election, and incumbent President Tinubu.
The Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Bangari, confirmed this to The ICIR in a telephone chat on Monday, September 4.
“Yes, it is confirmed. The date is September 6. I am sending the statement to your chapel chairman now,” Bangari said.
Judgement on the case of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has also been scheduled for the same day.
Bangari also added the proceedings would be open to live broadcast by interested media organisations.
Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) are contesting Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 Presidential Election held in February.
Atiku, a former vice president, finished second. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, finished third in the hotly contested election.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance