The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to establish a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the alleged influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Court of Appeal judgment that nullified the election of the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang.
In a statement, the PDP expressed concern over a viral video in which an APC leader, Yusuf Gagdi, purportedly boasted about having influence in the Supreme Court. The PDP claimed that the video confirmed suspicions of an alleged APC effort to influence judicial decisions against the PDP. The party pointed to allegations that an APC member reportedly induced members of the Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel with $5 million to deliver a biased judgment against Governor Mutfwang.
The PDP called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to investigate the claims made by the APC, including the alleged involvement of individuals in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The party emphasized the importance of addressing the situation to prevent a potential crisis in Plateau State and other parts of the country.
In response, the APC described the PDP as a “bad loser” and advised the party to play by the rules of the game. The APC argued that the PDP’s language could give democracy a negative perception.
The call for a judicial inquiry reflects the heightened political tensions and concerns over the integrity of the electoral and judicial processes in the aftermath of the Plateau State governorship election judgment.