President Threatens Judges
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Nigerian President Bola Tinubu whose electoral “victory” is being challenged in court by the opposition threatens judges in Democracy Day speech
President Bola Tinubu said that the days when illegal court orders were used to truncate Nigeria’s democracy are over in the country.
He made this known in a nationwide broadcast commemorating Democracy Day, Monday, praising the late Moshood Abiola, Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in 1993 presidential election.
“For Chief MKO Abiola, the symbol of this day, in whose memory June 12 became a national holiday, democracy is eternal,” Tinubu said.
“It is about rule of law and vibrant judiciary that can be trusted to deliver justice and strengthen institutions. It has become imperative to state here that the unnecessary illegal orders used to truncate or abridge democracy will no longer be tolerated.” He warned.
His statement comes as the court determines election petitions by Labour Party (LP) ’s Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging his February 25 election victory.
Politicians have obtained court orders to upturn the electoral victories of opponents and occupy offices. In some cases, conflicting court orders on elections have left the public confused. But the President said “illegal orders” won’t be condoned.
Tinubu was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and was sworn into office on May 29.
In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari in an executive order proclaimed June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
In 1993, before the results of the June 12 elections could be confirmed by INEC, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, causing a political crisis which led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.
Akowe with reports from Lagos
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