The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has finally come up to clear the air on the allegations that President Bola Tinubu had a phone conversation with him in relation to pending proceedings before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).
The CJN’s denial came in a statement issued by his spokesman, Dr. Festus Akande, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
The statement said: “In view of the rumour currently circulating in the social media space that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola had a telephone conversation with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) with a view to pressurising the Presidential Election Petition Court on the likely judgment to give, it is imperative to state clearly that there is no iota of truth in the narrative, as there was no such telephone conversation between the CJN and anyone.”
The statement urged Nigerians to “sustain the tempo and follow it up to the end, instead of relapsing into the realm of speculations and rumour peddling that will not do anyone any good.”
It also called on everyone to cooperate with the judiciary to serve the country to its full capacity, as “no one will ever be favoured against the other in any dispute.”
The statement concluded by assuring the public that justice will be done to all matters pending in the various courts across the country, irrespective of who is involved.
The statement reads: “In view of the rumour currently circulating in the social media space that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola had a telephone conversation with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) with a view to pressurising the Presidential Election Petition Court on the likely judgment to give, it is imperative to state clearly that there is no iota of truth in the narrative, as there was no such telephone conversation between the CJN and anyone.
“Nigerians have been following the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Court with admirable enthusiasm. So, it is advisable we all sustain the tempo and follow it up to the end, instead of relapsing into the realm of speculations and rumor peddling that will not do anyone any good.
“If this current trend of falsehood and mudslinging is sustained, our nation may not make the desired progress. The courts are statutorily established to serve the best interest of the masses; and we are ever poised to do that to the best of our ability.
“We wish to plead with everyone to cooperate with the judiciary to serve the country to its full capacity, as no one will ever be favoured against the other in any dispute.
The public should be rest assured that justice will be done to all matters pending in the various courts across the country, irrespective of who is involved.”
Earlier, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had also debunked the phone conversation between Ariwoola and Tinubu.
“We have become aware of a decidedly mischievous and intentionally misleading tweet by one Mr Jackson Ude. He alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in a telephone conversation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in which the CJN purportedly told the President and APC to prepare for a presidential election rerun”, party spokesman, Felix Morka said in a late-Tuesfay statement.
He said it is disturbing and disgraceful for Mr Ude to fabricate a falsehood of this kind on a matter of serious national importance that is actively under review by the Presidential Election Petitions Court PEPC.
Part of the statement reads; “President Tinubu and our Party won the last Presidential election without a doubt, and do not have any need to engage in side conversations with the CJN regarding pending petitions before the PEPC. As the core democrat that he is, the President respects the right of aggrieved Candidates in the election to seek redress for any grievances that they may have. The Constitution and Electoral Act provide effective guarantees of that right.
“The PEPC should be afforded the time and space to perform its important constitutional and statutory duty of adjudicating and delivering a verdict in the matter without needlessly calling the integrity of our Judges into question.
“Falsehood and conjecture by the likes of Mr. Ude only aim to inflame political passions, create doubt and panic, and preemptively undermine the verdict of the Courts in this important matter.
“We are confident that Nigerians are smarter and more discerning than to be affected by this opposition brand of tasteless and crass mercenary expedition”.
✍️ Temitope Hassan