Presidential election:PDP lawmakers name supreme Court Justices to hear Atiku appeal.
A caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives has tasked the Supreme Court to follow the established precedent in the selection of justices who will hear Atiku Abubakar’s appeal.
The lawmakers made this known in a statement signed by Kingsley Chinda, the PDP leader in the house, The Cable reports.
Recall that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections had filed an appeal at Supreme to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the election petition tribunal.
The PDP lawmakers noted that the established precedent is that the first seven most senior justices of the Supreme Court, including the chief justice, preside over presidential election appeals.
Following the alleged precedents, they named the most senior justices of the apex court who should be appointed to hear the appeal. Below is a list of the justices:
- CJN Ibrahim Tanko
- Justice Rhodes-Vivour
- Justice Mary Odili
- Justice Sylvester Ngwuta
- Justice Olukayode Ariwoola
- Justice Musa Muhammad
- Justice Kumai Akaahs
They, however, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to side-step the precedents.
They urged the chief justice, Tanko, to stick to the precedents, saying not doing so would amount to ridiculing the judiciary and robbing it of its role as the last hope of the common man.
Meanwhile, The Cable notes that some of the justices listed by the lawmakers are related to some PDP chieftains.
According to the newspaper, Justice Odili, listed above, is the wife of Peter Odili who is a founding member of the PDP and ex-governor of Rivers state.
Justice Rhodes-Vivour, also listed above, is reportedly the father of Gbadebo, who contested for Lagos West senatorial election on the platform of the PDP in the 2019 elections.
Justice Ngwuta who is also on the list had been prosecuted for alleged corruption by the Buhari administration.
The apex court dismissed the allegations by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) claiming there was a plot to manipulate the selection of justices for the presidential election appeal panel.
