A pro-democracy group, the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC), has alleged that the presidency may be connected in the Court of Appeal’s delayed judgment on the governorship suit.

The Convener of the coalition, Mr. Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said in a statement in Akure, that the opposition parties were responsible for the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The coalition accused the presidency of “arresting the judgment to foster its political interest” in the state ahead of the general elections coming up in 2019.

Atoye said some chieftains of the Ali Modu-Sheriff’s faction of the PDP had the support of government officials before sponsoring the petitions against the appeal court judges.

According to him, it was obvious that the judges were forced to do a volte-face in delivering judgment in the candidacy tussle.

He added that before the perceived interference, “The panel had resisted all the mischievous processes in the suits, as guided by the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Agumagu vs NJC. That ruling gave it the authority to proceed to judgment despite a curious notice at the apex court.

“They want to destroy everything and turn Nigeria into a fascist state ahead of 2019. They are using the federal power with brazen recklessness and subverting all democratic institutions to foster a sordid political interest, but they would fail,” the statement added.

Atoye warned against extending the alleged blackmail to the Supreme Court to deny Eyitayo Jegede of his mandate.