Amidst speculations that the camp of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress ( APC) has been working to compromise the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), human rights and pro-democracy groups have warned that nobody should go near the members of PEPT.
In a statement with newsmen in FCT Abuja, the chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD) South East Zone and Executive Director, of Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE), warned the presidency, APC, their agents or cohorts to desist from attempting to compromise or induce the members of the panel with money or juicy appointments.
They also cautioned that on no account should they deploy security operatives to infiltrate, intimidate or blackmail the Judges to give them favorable judgment by turning justice upside down.
The groups said Nigeria is at a cross-road now, warning that the country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder, hence any slightest provocation can ignite unprecedented protests in the country that would be difficult to contain.
Against the backdrop, said the group, the Tribunal members should resist any attempt to cajole them to give judgment that would negate the constitution of the country and extant laws of the land.
The rights groups noted that the future of this country is in the hands of the judiciary now, especially the five-member Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, hence they should be like Caesar’s wife and be above and incorruptible judges, Dede Uzor warned