Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech as a veiled threat to the judiciary, which is adjudicating on petitions challenging his declaration as winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Atiku, in a statement, by his Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, said Tinubu had no constitutional powers to determine what an illegal or legal court order is. He said the president through his speech has shown that he planned on running an autocratic government.

He said it was funny that Tinubu, who had been one of the biggest beneficiaries of court orders, could turn around to threaten the judiciary now that he has found his way into power.

“What is an illegal court order? Is it an order that Bola Tinubu finds unfavourable? Is it within his powers to determine what order to obey and which one to disregard? This is a man who rode to power after several applications were dismissed based on technicalities.

“This is a man, who just last week, obtained a court order in order to stop the Nigeria Labour Congress going on strike. However, now he suddenly realises that unnecessary so-called illegal orders used in truncating democracy would no longer be tolerated when his minions in Lagos State deprived non-indigenes from voting. What an hypocrite.”

Atiku claimed Tinubu wants to impose the leadership of the legislative arm of government and wants to force the judiciary to bow to his will.

“Does he want to turn Nigeria into a dictatorship?”

Atiku also accused the president of mocking those who had gone to court to challenge his victory, stating that Tinubu has himself always been at the forefront of challenging the victory of others whenever his candidate loses.

“Tinubu said openly that he helped Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi, Adams Oshiomhole to regain their mandates through the courts. Even his cousin, Gboyega Oyetola, who lost the Osun governorship election, went to challenge the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke in court. Why didn’t he advise them to accept defeat? His predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, lost the presidential election thrice and went to court thrice. Yet Tinubu is painting a narrative that it is only sore losers that challenge the outcome of elections. If he is sure of electoral victory in the last election, then he should be confident and stop trying to intimidate the judiciary and compromise opposition politicians with appointments.”

The former Vice President dismissed the stance of President Tinubu that he felt the pains of the citizens after the end of the fuel subsidy regime.

“Tinubu insults the intelligence of Nigerians by claiming that he feels the pains of subsidy removal. For emphasis, Managing Partner of KPMG, Yemi Kale, says the inflation next month could be as high as 30 per cent, yet there is no palliative in place as of now. Tinubu has not shown any sign of reducing the cost of governance, cutting down the presidential fleet, or reducing the number of appointees he will have. Rather, he wants Nigerians to make sacrifices for his lack of planning. This is preposterous,” Atiku said.

(Daily Sun)

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