PEPT verdict: FG, APC in panic mode, CUPP alleges

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), yesterday, condemned what it described as a ploy by the Federal Government, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate and blackmail the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal from sacking President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged forgery of his West African School Certificate.

The coalition is a statement signed by its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said: “We know that with the judgment day of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal drawing closer, this administration has entered panic mode. We pity Lai Mohammed and his principal because we know that all these antics are meant to intimidate members of the tribunal from nullifying Buhari’s election over his ineligibility.

“We therefore strongly warn Mohammed and his co-travelers not to further push this country into instability with their unfounded and uncouth utterances and allegations,” the group said.

It added: “The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) wishes to bring to the attention of all well-meaning Nigerians and friends of the nation, recent events in the polity that have further confirmed opposition’s long-held and proven belief that the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is built on nothing else but lies, empty ideas, and fraudulent foundation.

“First, in a video that is currently trending, Mohammed claimed in a television interview that Buhari lost his certificate and that he should be pardoned if he cannot produce the said certificate after many years of leaving school.”

While reacting to the trending video, the ministry did not deny what Mohammed said in the interview. It only claimed that the video was an interview the minister granted the television station since January 22, 2015 when he was still the spokesman of the ruling party.”

Whether Mohammed granted the interview now or in 2015 as claimed, he has not denied the fact that he admitted in the interview that Buhari should be pardoned because he cannot produce his certificate.

According to the CUPP, “This very clear admission is very instructive because Buhari and his handlers had produced some questionable documents as his WAEC certificate.”

The Coalition demanded that” This government must apologise to Nigerians for feeding them with lies and deceit. Clearly, the only way to do this is for Buhari to relinquish the stolen mandate he is enjoying since it is now clear that he has no certificate, hence ineligible to contest the position he is currently holding dubiously.”