PDP urges INEC to postpone governorship polls

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In a series of tweets by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, the party maintained that the election should not hold since its candidates are yet to resolve their legal battles.

The party stressed further that the indefinite adjournment of the appeals of Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Eyitayo Jegede against the judgment given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, should be followed by a postponement of the Nov 26 governorship election.

The tweets read: "Yesterday, the Court of Appeal Panel led by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa set up to determine the appeals of Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Eyitayo Jegede against the scandalous judgment given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja controversially adjourned all proceedings sine die."

The statement continued, "In doing so, Justice Ibrahim Salauwa stated that the decision to adjourn was taken in the face of a petition written against the panel to the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) and Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) alleging acts of corruption, bias and breach of oaths of office amongst others.

"Furthermore, the respondents had filed a motion at the Supreme Court in which the Justices of Court of Appeal Panel were named as co-respondents in their personal capacities. The indefinite adjournment is a consequence of the latest of several mischievous actions taken by Messrs Biyi Poroye, Jimoh Ibrahim and their legal team led by Mr. Ben Nwofor (SAN).

"These actions, ranging from unsubstantiated allegations of corruption to outright disrespect and disregard for the Justices of the Court of Appeal to disruption of Court proceedings and flagrant abuse of Court processes, are all designed to achieve one aim – stall proceedings and ensure that the legitimate Candidate of the Party is prevented from contesting the November 26th, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Ondo State.

"This outright bullying and intimidation of Justices of the Court of Appeal is enabled by the recent invasion of the homes of Justices of the Supreme Court, and the arrests and harassment of several judges by men of the Directorate of State Services," the statement read.

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In conclusion, the PDP said, "These actions are achieving the desired effect as Judges are now compelled to refrain from furthering the course of justice by unsubstantiated allegations of corruption. We are aware that this is only a part of a much bigger plan to use all available resources of State to prevent the legitimate Candidate of the Party from running for and winning the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election."