PDP Reveals What Will Happen if Buhari Declares Friday Public Holiday Ahead of S/Court’s Judgement

The Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sent a strong message to President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the Nigerian Tribune, the PDP cautioned President Buhari that declaring 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 All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, over double nomination, might lead to chaos in the country.

PDP in a statement issued on Wednesday, May 24, by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, called on the president and his administration to speak out on the alarming reports in the public space about the moves to declare the holiday.

The opposition party also called on the federal government to come clean on a further allegation, which it said is also in the public domain that the APC is mounting pressure on the Department of State Services (DSS) to advice President Buhari to declare the public holiday.

Recalls that the Supreme Court had fixed Friday, May 26, to deliver its judgement in a suit seeking the disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima as presidential and vice-presidential APC respectively.

In the suit filed on July 28, 2022, the PDP had claimed that Shettima’s nomination as Tinubu’s running mate was in breach of the provisions of sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The opposition party argued that Shettima’s nomination to contest the position of Vice-President and Borno Central Senatorial District seat at the same time contravened the law.

The PDP, which sought an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu, and Shettima from contesting the presidential election, also sought an order nullifying their candidacies.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

However, the PDP appealed the judgment. Delivering judgment in the appeal, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice James Abundaga also held that the PDP failed to establish that it had locus standi to institute the case.

Abundaga described the PDP as an a busybody, who dabbled into issues that were internal affairs of the APC.

The judge dismissed the appeal as the PDP failed to establish its locus standi.

Still unsatisfied, the party proceeded to the Supreme Court to seek redress.

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