The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and President Bola Tinubu are engaged in a heated exchange of words over an alleged plot to manipulate the ongoing electoral dispute at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja.
Atiku, who came second in the presidential election, is seeking to overturn Tinubu’s victory on grounds of alleged electoral fraud. Alongside Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), they are asking the court to nullify the president’s victory, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the electoral process in favor of Tinubu.
In response to Atiku’s allegations, Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have dismissed them, claiming substantial compliance with electoral laws during the election.
Atiku’s media office released a statement describing the last general election as the “worst in the annals of democratic politics in our country,” a statement that Tinubu refuted.
The tension escalated when social media reports emerged, alleging secret telephone conversations between Tinubu and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, regarding the pending suits against the president. Both the APC and the Supreme Court management denied the allegations.
Atiku cautioned against undermining Nigeria’s democracy by using the judiciary to serve the interests of the ruling party, citing past incidents, including the unlawful removal of former CJN Walter Onnoghen in 2019.
Drawing attention to the allegations, Atiku emphasized the need to abide by the law and resist any attempts to compromise the fragile democracy.
The clash between Atiku and Tinubu reflects the heightened political tension surrounding the ongoing electoral dispute and the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria. The situation is being closely monitored by both the national and international communities.
