Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign, has expressed concerns over the integrity and independence of Nigeria's judiciary as it handles the electoral petition against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect.
Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has filed a petition challenging the declaration of Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 presidential election. Atiku applied for the withdrawal of Tinubu's Certificate of Return on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, maintaining that his election was invalid.
Bwala, speaking to Arise TV about the legal battle, stated that there was no compliance with the electoral act by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in declaring Tinubu as the winner of the election.
According to Bwala, the grounds for the petition are contained in Section 134, including that the election of Tinubu is invalid due to a lack of compliance with the provisions of the electoral act and corruption and corrupt practices.
He further stated that Tinubu did not score the majority of the lawful votes cast and that he did not qualify at the time he was declared the winner, citing evidence and facts to support these claims.
Bwala expressed confidence in the judicial process but said that the judiciary is now under trial due to the history and the actions of the ruling party, suggesting that they would not want to allow the court to be independent in the delivery of justice.
He also referenced recent comments made by the President of the country, which can be deemed as preemptive to the court and the outcome.
The spokesperson's remarks come amid a growing debate over the independence of the judiciary in Nigeria, with some questioning the impartiality of judges in high-profile cases.
The outcome of the petition against Tinubu is expected to be a significant test for the country's judiciary and could have a significant impact on the credibility of the electoral process.
Bwala stated that the election is not only a test of the will of the people but also a test of the supremacy and independence of the court of appeal and the Supreme Court in adjudicating matters.
The ruling party has yet to respond to the allegations of non-compliance and corruption made by the PDP.