Presidential Election Tribunal: CJN denies speaking with Tinubu, DSS to influence judgement

…Says no one will ever be favoured against another

…Warns speculators, says rumour peddling would benefit no one

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has denied the allegation that he had a telephone conversation with President Bola Tinubu over petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

The CJN through a statement by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, said he equally did not speak with the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mr. Yusuf Bichi, in a bid to influence members of the Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC) sitting in Abuja, to deliver judgement in favour of President Tinubu.

The CJN thus advised that Nigerians should rather sustain the tempo of following up to the end the ongoing petitions before the PEPC, instead of relapsing into what he described as “the realm of speculations and rumor peddling that will not do anyone any good.”

The statement, signed by the Director of Press and Information at the apex court, Dr. Festus Akande, read: “In view of the rumor currently circulating on social media space that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola had a telephone conversation with His Excellency; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) with a view to pressurising the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the 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 the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition 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 rumor peddling that will not do anyone any good.

“If this current trend of falsehood and mudslinging is sustained, our nation may not make the 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.

“The rule of law and supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution will always be upheld and applied in every matter that comes before the courts; as the facts presented and the subsisting laws must be applied in determining the merit or otherwise of each matter.

“The public should be rest assured that justice will be done to all matters pending in the various courts across the country, irrespective of who is involved.”

Judgment over the petitions filed by opposition parties, particularly the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and their candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, is imminent as both sides of the parties have closed their cases. The petitioners have filed the suits to contest the outcome of the February 25 presidential election which as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, produced Bola Tinubu as winner, having polled majority votes. Among others, the aggrieved parties have alleged misconducts and irregularities in the election.