The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, described President Bola Tinubu’s final written address at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal as an assault on the country’s corporate existence.
Tinubu, in the address filed through his counsel Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the panel to dismiss the LP petition challenging his victory in the February 25 election for failing to secure 25 percent of the vote in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He warned the tribunal that any misinterpretation of the status guiding the FCT would cause anarchy in the country as the capital city is regarded as the 37th State for electoral purposes.
But in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said the remarks are aimed at intimidating the judiciary.
The PDP added that the president’s written address is subversive, and an affront on democratic order.
The statement read: “It is alarming and disturbing that the APC externalized to the public, their final written address in which they also threatened national peace if the Court upholds the clear provisions of Section 134 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) with regard to the mandatory and statutory requirements for which a Candidate in a Presidential election can be declared winner.
“The threat, either through the Counsel or officials of the APC, is calculated to intimidate and harass the Judiciary and indeed Nigerians.
“The PDP holds that the clear intent of the APC is to blackmail the court and emasculate the independence of the judiciary to discharge its duties in accordance with the dictates of the law. This action is ostensibly to set the stage to orchestrate violent crisis in various parts of the country with the intention to further blackmail the PEPC.”