Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has alleged that there are attempts by the Department of State Services (DSS) to temper with the process of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
According to him, they are aware of intelligence reports about how the DSS is calling some few Justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts to blackmail and get them to delay the court processes to the advantage of the ruling APC.
He claimed that just like how the DSS was used to threaten the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to swing the results of the general election in favour of the APC, they are at it again.
OsunDaily News understands that this is as Frank called out on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to transmit its proceedings live.
Frank, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, alleged that his camp is also aware the APC is playing all the delay tactics till after inauguration so they can use incumbency of power.
He, therefore, said it had become necessary to call on the PEPT to consider transmitting the process live in other to promote transparency and openness in the conduct of the tribunal.
He said, “We have seen in other countries even within Africa like Kenya where proceedings on election petition sittings were transmitted live so voters would have the opportunity to see how justice is being dispensed.”
Frank appealed to the tribunal to commence the hearing to enhance the speedy conclusion of the case within the time statutorily allotted before the inauguration on May 29, 2023.
He said: “We know as it stands, the All Progressives Congress is buying time with delay tactics so as to frustrate the case till after inauguration.
“This is geared towards allowing the APC to use incumbency powers to influence the judgement of the court.
“But we call on the Tribunal, especially the Justices of the Appeal Court and Supreme Court, to put Nigeria first before personal interest.
“The people want the proceedings to be transmitted live. They must listen to the call of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) by doing the case differently for the first time.
“We are aware from intelligence reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) has started putting threat calls across to a few Justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts to blackmail and get them to delay the court processes to the advantage of the ruling APC.
“This was the same way the DSS intimidated and blackmailed the Independent National Electoral Commission to swing the results of the general election in favour of the APC.
“We dare say that with the subterranean threats and pressure being mounted on the judiciary, Nigerians are beginning to lose hope of getting true and unfettered justice in the election petition cases before the courts.
“In Kenya, the Supreme Court concluded the hearing of an election petition case and gave judgement in two weeks and we believe that the judiciary in Nigeria can equally save time and earn the trust of Nigerians by working to terminate the case and give its judgement before the inauguration date.
“Let the Judiciary know that Nigerians are watching them closely, both locally and internationally. Therefore there is a need for them to impartially adjudicate on the present election petition task before them without any modicum of compromise or resort to selling justice to the highest bidder the way the DSS would want them to so do.
“We also use this opportunity to call on the international community to help save democracy in Nigeria by prevailing on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency calls the DSS to order and stop the agency from interfering in the electoral and judicial processes in the country.”
He also called on the DSS to desist from being partisan saying “This is not what the DSS is meant to do but today the agency has become very porous with its agents being accused of selling classified information and taking part in clandestine blackmail activities to please the ruling party.”
