Wike Is Blackmailing Judiciary To Get A Favourable Appeal- APC

Following the decision of the Supreme Court in dismissing the appeal by Governor Nyesom Wike on jurisdiction, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), on Wednesday, accused Wike of attacking the reputation and character of those judges in whose tribunals/courts he and his party members received unfavourable judgments.

A statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone and made available to newsmen, said the motive behind Wike’s massive war on the Nigerian judiciary, was to blackmail the judges into giving him a favourable ruling on his case, when he appeals on the nullification of his election as governor of Rivers State.

The statement read, “The decision by Chief Nyesom Wike to embark on his mission against the judges, according to our source, is basically to soften up and ultimately blackmail the eminent men and women of the bench to give him a favourable ruling when he appeals the judgment that nullified of his election last Saturday.

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“Therefore, the embattled governor has thrown all caution to the wind by taking on the likes of Justice Mohammed Ambrosa true direct comments by his media aides and indirectly through faceless and dubious online publications.”

According to the party, one of the online publications operated by a PDP member that is being used to blackmail the judiciary is www.trentonline.com.

The party said “the website has published a fake story purporting same to have come from Justice Muazu Pindiga titled,“DSS Offered Bribe, Threatened Me, Then I Was Sacked From Rivers Tribunal – Justice Pindiga.” This fake news story was designed to give credence to the accusation by Nyesom Wike when his Spokesman, Opunabo Inko-Tariah stated that the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal chaired by Justice Mohammed Ambrosa, “has given the ruling he was asked to give.” This statement was made a few hours after the Tribunal nullified the sham election Nyesom Wike last Saturday.”

The APC stated that the fake story alleged that Justice Pindiga said that the DSS attempted to bribe him with threats, leading to his sudden replacement as the Chairman of the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal by Justice Mohammed Ambrosa.

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The party however noted that Justice Muazu Pindiga has since denied making any such statement or granting any interviews whatsoever to anyone as published.

The party further accused Wike of unleashing virulent attacks on the eminent jurists of the apex court when he stated the following through his media adviser, Opunabo Inko-Tariah. “What is going on right now can best be described as judicial gang-up against Governor Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people as evinced in the April 11 general elections. The courts are setting pernicious precedents by hinging their verdicts on inane points.

Rivers people overwhelmingly gave their mandate to Governor Wike but a microscopic few want to wrest that mandate from him through the back door.”

The party stated that despite losing all national and state assembly cases by APC members at the tribunal headed by Justice Muazu Pindiga, the party and its members have taken the rulings of the judge with calmness.

The party said, “But the APC is curious about the reasoning behind the fact that the judicial system Nyesom Wike is busy denigrating is the same system he hopes to approach for appeal.

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“We doubt what other motive would be behind it other the usual blackmail and arm-twisting jungle tactic of the PDP band of betrayers and opportunists. But the respected members of the Nigerian judiciary in their usual forthrightness will disappoint the PDP and Nyesom Wike to the end despite the open warfare they have declared to cow the judiciary and its members,” the party said.

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