The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, to be cautious in celebrating the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
In a statement on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the “gloating” of those celebrating the verdict would be short-lived.
Mr Mohammed had asked the PDP to tender an apology to Nigerians for distracting the Muhammadu Buhari administration with an election petition, rather than appealing the Tribunal’s judgement.
Reacting to the minister’s comment, the PDP insisted that the judgment was “a direct miscarriage of justice” which would not stand at the Supreme Court.
The opposition party stressed that it has enough evidence against President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), to win at the apex court.
“The PDP notes that those celebrating this attempt to corrupt our justice system as well as the brazen approval of a clear case of perjury are directly telling Nigerians something about their conscience and character.
“Our party is not surprised that Lai Mohammed, speaking for the Buhari administration, came short of calling for the arrest and prosecution of opposition members for coming before the Appeal Court, a situation which exposed their belief that they own the court and can determine the position of the judiciary on any matter.
“Notwithstanding, the PDP holds that Nigerians have seen the ‘several errors’ in the judgment delivered by the Appeal Court and have turned the verdict to a butt of jokes in public space,” the statement read.
The PDP asked the minister to tell Nigerians if his law degree was awarded to him on the basis of a sworn affidavit and pictures of his classmates, or whether his call to the bar at the Nigerian Law School was based on the presentation of pictures and affidavit.
It said that Mr Mohammed’s statement has heightened apprehension among Nigerians about alleged manipulations of process by the APC and the present administration.
According to the party, this is the reason the PDP stands with Nigerians in heading to the Supreme Court to uphold justice in the matter and salvage the nation from the drift towards impunity.
“In the meantime, the PDP counsels Lai Mohammed to redeem his image by offering explanations to Nigerians on his alleged role in the N2.5 billion National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fraud before casting aspersion on others,” the statement added.
