Zamfara: APC Accuses PDP Of Intimidating, Undermining Supreme Court

The Peoples Democratic Party has been accused by the All Progressives Congress of intimidating the Supreme Court and undermining the judiciary.

APC stated this following the statement of PDP which declared that the apex court does not have any option than to dismiss the application filed before it by APC to review its judgment on the Zamfara State Governorship election.

The ruling party stated that the opposition’s statement was criminal and irresponsible of the party which has ruled the country for 16 years.

The party warned PDP from making statements that are targeted at undermining a critical state institution like the judiciary.

The National Spokesperson of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, stated this in a statement in Abuja.

He accused PDP of blackmailing and intimidating the state institutions as a strategy to derail processes and procedures that are at variance with any of its inordinate interests.

APC said, “There is a world of difference between the Supreme Court review sought on the Zamfara matter and the matters that the Supreme Court dismissed regarding Imo and Bayelsa states.”

“Unlike what happened in Bayelsa and Imo, in Zamfara, the Supreme Court is not being requested to review its decision.”

“Far from it. The unique thing about Zamfara’s case at the Supreme Court is that the APC is not attacking the judgement of their Lordships but only praying that they vary their consequential order for the purpose of justice.”

APC noted that the opposition party is reaping from where it did not sow due to the intra-party that rocked the Zamfara State chapter of the party.

“That is where the PDP, who not being a party in the matter, is scared as it found itself to have immensely benefitted from our intra-party squabbles, by reaping where they never sowed.”

“The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed that it has the powers to review its own decisions and that it is not aversed to correcting an error when that is noticed or when it is brought to its attention”.

The APC also recalled, “While delivering the landmark lead judgment, Chukwudifu Oputa JSC in Adegoke Motors Vs. Adesanya considered the powers of the Supreme Court (as the final Court in the land) to review its earlier decisions and said:”

“We are final not because we are infallible; rather we are infallible because we are final. Justices of this Court are human beings, capable of erring.”

“It will certainly be shortsighted arrogance not to accept this obvious truth. It is also true that this Court can do inestimable good through its wise decisions.”

“Similarly, the Court can do incalculable harm through its mistakes. When therefore it appears to learned counsel that any decision of this Court has been given per incuriam, such counsel should have the boldness and courage to ask that such a decision be over-ruled.”

“This Court has the power to overrule itself (and has done so in the past) for it gladly accepts that it is far better to admit an error than to persevere in error”