The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Federal Government and President Muhammadu Buhari to come clean over allegations of a plot to declare Friday a public holiday in order to prevent the Supreme Court from delivering judgment in a case involving Vice President-Elect, Kashim Shettima.
The court is scheduled to deliver judgment on the disqualification case against Sen. Shettima, over double nomination, on Friday, May 26, 2023.
This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He said, “The PDP also calls on the Federal Government to come clean on a further allegation, which is also in the public domain that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is mounting pressure on the Department of State Services (DSS) to advice President Buhari to declare the public holiday.
“The ominous silence by the Federal Government in the face of such grave allegations is heightening tension across the country and has the capacity to trigger a wide-spread crisis if not immediately addressed.
“Such reported sinister plot by the APC against the Supreme Court is consistent with the insensitivity, manipulation, abuse of power and process promoted by the APC as an act of governance in the last eight years.
“The PDP, therefore, calls on President Buhari to immediately douse the palpable tension in the country by making a categorical statement with regard to the reported plots by the APC to stop the sitting of the Supreme Court through the declaration of a public holiday.”
Ologunagba further said, “Nigerians across board are eager for the delivery of the judgement on the set date, Friday, May 26, 2023, in the disqualification case against Sen. Kashim Shettima, for double nomination as APC Senatorial and Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections in violation of the provision of Section 35 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The APC must respect the independence of the Judiciary and the Supreme Court in the administration of justice as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Principle of Separation of Powers as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Nigeria is already strained and any attempt to impose a public holiday on Friday, May 26, 2023 as a ploy to stop the Supreme Court from delivering its reserved judgment is capable of increasing the tension with possible dire consequences to the polity.”