The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to respect the independence of the judiciary and not declare public holiday on Friday.
PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, Wednesday, said it called for caution over alleged moves to declare Friday, May 26, 2023 a public holiday as a ploy to stop the Supreme Court from sitting to deliver judgment on the disqualification case against the vice president-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, over double nomination, already scheduled for that date.
The party also called on the federal government to come clean on a further allegation, which is also in the public domain that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is mounting pressure on the Department of State Services (DSS) to advice Buhari to declare the public holiday.
The statement reads in part: “The ominous silence by the federal government in the face of such grave allegations is heightening tension across the country and has the capacity to trigger wide-spread crisis if not immediately addressed.
“Such reported sinister plot by the APC against the Supreme Court is consistent with the insensitivity, manipulation, abuse of power and process promoted by the APC as an act of governance in the last eight years.
“The PDP therefore calls on President Buhari to immediately douse the palpable tension in the country by making a categorical statement with regard to the reported plots by the APC to stop the sitting of the Supreme Court through the declaration of a public holiday.
“Nigerians across board are eager for the delivery of the judgement on the set date, Friday, May 26, 2023, in the disqualification case against Sen. Kashim Shettima, for double nomination as APC Senatorial and vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections in violation of the provision of Section 35 of the Electoral Act, 2022.”
