The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has accused Tanko Muhammed, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), of plotting to tinker with the list of judges of the Supreme Court to sit on the appeal of Atiku Abubakar.
YaahooJournalist recalls that the petition of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the election of President Muhammadu Buhari was dismissed by the Presidential Election Tribunal (PEPT).
Atiku and PDP are set to approach the Supreme Court to appeal the ruling of the Justice Mohammed Garba-led tribunal.
Addressing journalists on Friday, Ikenga Ugochinyere, CUPP Spokesperson, claimed to have obtained a list of “handpicked” justices in violation of the Supreme Court tradition of selecting seven most senior justices.
According to the CUPP Spokesman, “We have intercepted a secret list of a 7- man panel of the Justices of Supreme Court about to be announced by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in a manner that jettisoned the age-long tradition of selecting the members of the panel on the order of seniority.
“To ensure that nothing is left undone, the proposed screening of the nominated Justices of Supreme Court which was hitherto scheduled to take place on October 2019 was brought forward and concluded yesterday in Gestapo manner and ready to be sent to the Senate for immediate confirmation.
“Fellow Nigerians, the reason for the rush in screening of the proposed Justices of Supreme Court is to use them as plan ‘B’ for the Presidential Election Appeal where they fail to push through the intercepted list and also not unconnected with the plan to populate the Governorship Appeal panels with these justices who are sympathetic to the ruling party with aim of giving a favourable judgment and also nullifying election of governors of opposition states.”
Listing the judges allegedly selected to sit on the appeal, CUPP mentioned Rode Rhodes-Vivour JSC appointed 2010, Musa Datijo Muhammed appointed in 2012, John Inyang Okoro appointed in 2013, Chima Centus Nweze appointed in 2016, Aminu Adamu Augie appointed in 2016 and Uwani Dauda Bage appointed in 2018.
