Court of Appeal has debunked news on social media suggesting a member of the panel handling petitions on the February 25 presidential elections had resigned.
Chief Registrar, Umar Mohammed Bangari, via telephone, said: “Please, ignore the fake news.”
A Twitter user, Umar Sani, yesterday, claimed Justice Ugo, a member of the five-man panel, resigned because he believed taking side with President Bola Tinubu against those challenging his electoral victory at the court “would mean the death of Nigeria’s democracy.”
Sani alleged that the judge, in a letter, said he was asked to “cripple independence of the judiciary” by ruling in favour of a certain candidate, believed to be Tinubu.
“Justice Ugo’s resignation has caused a serious uproar and a setback to activities of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC),” Sani claimed.
It will be recalled that the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, refuted rumours suggesting Tinubu held a phone conversation with Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, where both discussed the outcome of presidential election petitions.
Director of Press and Information, Dr Akande Festus, had made the clarification in a statement in Abuja.
The statement read in part: “In view of the rumour currently circulating on social media that CJN Olukayode Ariwoola had a telephone conversation with President Bola Tinubu and Director General of Department of State Service (DSS), with a view to pressurising the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on likely judgment to give, it is imperative to state clearly that there is no iota of truth in the narrative, as there was no such telephone conversation between the CJN and anyone.
“Nigerians have been following proceedings at the tribunal with admirable enthusiasm. So, it is advisable we all sustain the tempo and follow it up to the end, instead of relapsing into the realm of speculations and rumour peddling that will not do anyone any good.
“If this current trend of falsehood and mudslinging is sustained, our nation may not make desired progress. The courts are statutorily established to serve the best interest of the masses; and we are ever poised to do that, to the best of our ability.
“We wish to plead with everyone to cooperate with the judiciary to serve the country to its full capacity, as no one will ever be favoured against the other in any dispute.”
