…Asks CJN to recuse self from Presidential Election Tribunal

Leading rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has said that President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be successfully inaugurated on May 29 but would be sacked by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal after about six months.

The group made the prediction in a statement issued on Monday in Onitsha, in which it advised the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, “to recuse himself from the headship of the PEPT on moral grounds so as to avoid conflict of interest” in view of his alleged affinity with Tinubu.

Signed by Intersociety Board Chair Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, Contacts and Mobilization Department, Ositadinma Agu; and Head, International Justice and Human Rights, Ndidiamaka Chinaza Bernard Esquire, the statement reads in full:

“It is the unbiased position of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) that by the provisions of the Nigeria’s body of laws including the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended and democratic and limited Government conventions under the UN, AU and ECOWAS Systems, applicable and operable in Nigeria, the INEC-declared ‘President-elect’: Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu will be inaugurated on 29^th May 2023 as “INEC-declared President of Nigeria”. Possibility is also high that Nigeria will produce three civilian Presidents in eleven months of 2023 or between January-May 29 (Buhari/Osinbajo), May 29-Oct/Nov (Ahmed Tinubu) and Oct/Nov and afterwards (Obi or Atiku). Intersociety does not see the third option arising or materializing-which is nullification of the poll by the apex court version of the PEPT (Presidential Election Petitions’ Tribunal) and assumption of the interim presidency by the Senate President. This is because with the 2023 Presidential Poll having witnessed massive voting in most of the country’s 176,846 polling units, but was brutally rigged in-house across the country and witnessed Ward, LGA and State Result Collation Centers’ results’ suppression; the main business of the PEPT is to locate those living votes through polling units’ FormEC8As, etc backed by originally uploaded results in INEC servers and BVAS and validly determine which party/candidate scored the highest number of legitimate votes and constitutionally required 25% spread in constitutionally prescribed number of States and FCT.

“Nigerians Must Remain Exponents And Promoters Of Due Process And Rule Of Law At All Times

“Therefore, in spite of revolutionary angers in the minds of most Nigerian lovers of democracy and rule of law, due and diligent processes must be followed and allowed at all times. Nigerians must remain their sticklers at all times and avoid playing into the hands of the out-going Federal Government of Nigeria and its desperate and remorseless agents. This is more so when it is now on indelible record that the outgoing Government of Nigeria has earned an international notoriety in election rigging and bastardization and corruption of democratic process. It must also be noted that the outgoing Government of Nigeria is un-repentantly fighting fiercely to retain its disastrous legacy of leaving Nigeria in the hands of political bandits and banditry. The lovers, apostles and disciples of democracy and rule of law in Nigeria must therefore avoid resorting to illegalities and illegitimate acts. Nigerians must follow due process and avoid joining forces with political buccaneers and other undemocratic forces to impeach or unseat the present ‘Socio-Legal System’; thereby giving room for invitation of the military or militant martial law, an aberration to democratic ethics and principles and a fundamental breach of Section 1 (2) of the 1999 Constitution which provides that “the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”.

“By Timing Of PEPT, Tinubu May Be Interloper President Of Nigeria For Six Months

“By relevant provisions of the 1999 and the Electoral Act of 2022 as amended, the duration of the proceedings and determination of the Presidential Election Petitions’ Tribunals must not exceed 180 days or six months at the Court of first instance (Court of Appeal) and 60 days or two months at the Court of last instance or Supreme Court; or a total period of 240 days or eight months. In matters involving Governorship, a total period of ten months or 300 days is provided. That is to say that the Governorship Election Petitions’ Tribunals are created to last for 180 days or six months at the Court of first instance (High Court), sixty days or two months at the Court of second instance (Appeal Court) and sixty days or two months at the Court of last instance (Supreme Court). Court matters involving National Assembly (Senatorial and House of Reps) and State House of Assembly polls take a total period of 180 days or six months at the Tribunal (High Court) and sixty days or two months at the Court of Appeal or Court of final instance. By the above, therefore, Ahmed Bola Tinubu as “INEC-declared President of Nigeria” may most likely stay in office as “Nigeria’s first interloper President” for a minimum period of five months or 29^th May to Oct or a maximum period of six months or 29^th May 2023 to Nov 2023. Nigerians are hereby prayed to brace up, by the Grace of Almighty God, to survive five or six months interloper presidency of Ahmed Bola Tinubu; likely to be akin to ‘COVID-19 and Cashless Naira’ eras.

“‘Genocidal-Igbonization’ And Other Guerilla Tactics Of The Outgoing Nigerian Govt.

“We have observed persons, possibly hired Nigerian Government agents protesting at military headquarters-calling for putsch; we have read opinions-calling for interim government to be installed in Nigeria on 29^th May 2023; we have read persons especially lawyers including turncoat military era human rights and democracy activists-possibly holding brief for INEC-declared ‘winners’ of the 2023 presidential poll-openly discussing and casting aspersions at petitioners and their matters validly filed at PEPT; we have observed turncoat democracy, human rights and rule of law activists of the military era ferociously engaging in incitement to ethnocide and religocide through “genocidal-Igbonization” in Lagos; we have observed grave partisanship of the country’s security forces including spy and regular police and the military-maintained with taxpayers or public funds belonging to all Nigerians-swiftly responding and carrying out their duties’ on phantom claims by APC-led outgoing Nigerian Government; but turned blind eyes when the lives and properties of other citizens such as Easterners in Lagos are at grave risk; we have observed the National Broadcasting Commission exhibiting its crudest partisanship in discharge of its public functions and duties maintained with taxpayers or public funds belonging to all Nigerians; we have observed crude adoption of guerilla and propaganda tactics by the outgoing Nigerian Government and its APC political actors-with intents to politicize, pollute and influence the proceedings and outcomes of the PEPT; we have also been observing them making dangerous and street revolutionary friendly efforts at dividing the Justices of the PEPT along ethnic and religious lines; we have seen crudest inflammation of ‘Igbophobia’ in Lagos and other parts by the APC led outgoing Government of Nigeria-whereby independent citizens’ voting and votes are singled out for “genocidal-Igbonization”.

“CJN Must Recuse Himself Over Wide Allegations Of His Alleged Affinity With Tinubu

“Having carefully followed the above including the recent People’s Gazette and Sahara Reporters’ exclusive reports on CJN’s partisanship and affinity with Ahmed Bola Tinubu (such as alleged recent clandestine meeting of the duo in London to allegedly harm 2023 PEPT) and responses from the CJN’s media handlers and his public defense by APC led outgoing Government of Nigeria, Intersociety is making bold to say that “the CJN-Tinubu factor” is the greatest threat to the 2023 PEPT especially its membership, proceedings and outcomes. We are also not unaware of strong allegations leveled against the CJN over his alleged partisan comments during his recent alleged outings with outgoing Governor Wike of Rivers State over G-5 governors and APC and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. It is in view of the foregoing that we are calling on lovers and defenders of democracy and rule of law in Nigeria to rise and beg CJN Olukayode Ariwoola to recuse himself from the headship of the PEPT on moral grounds so as to avoid conflict of interest. He must also be prayed to allow the PEPT to dispense justice in the pending cases with forensic and unbiased minds including consideration of the pending cases strictly on the preponderance of evidence and dominant public opinions regarding the shambolic outcome of the 2023 Presidential Poll. The Appellate and Supreme Courts’ membership of the PEPT must also be unbiased and bear true reflection of ethnic and religious balancing.”

Update news