Atiku vs Buhari: Supreme Court panel of judges yet to be constituted

The Supreme Court has told the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, that it had yet to constitute the panel that would hear the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Atiku.

Atiku and the PDP are challenging the earlier ruling by the Presidential Election Tribunal, which went in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

The apex court said the public would be notified when the panel was constituted. The court stated in a statement on Monday by its Director, Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande.

The statement was in reaction to the media claim by the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP.

The CUPP, through its Media and Publicity Director, Imo Ugochinyere, had alleged that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, had handpicked judges of the apex court for the panel in violation of the “tradition” of selecting the most senior Justices of the court.

The apex court described CUPP’s claim as “Blatant falsehood, misinformation and malicious rumour being generously peddled by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) through its spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere.

“CUPP is not and can never constitute itself into an agency of the Nigerian Judiciary or assume the role of an alternate Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“The constitution of any panel to sit on a matter in the court is the sole prerogative of the Supreme Court and it is never an issue for the court to debate on the television or pages of newspapers.

“We are not a political party or social club and should never be dragged into any form of baseless pedestrian discussions that will drive valid reasoning aground.

“Enough of this orchestrated falsehood and campaign of calumny.

“We are here to serve the interest of the generality of the Nigerian masses and not select individuals or groups with inordinate ambition.

“As soon as the Presidential Appeal Panel is constituted, the public will be duly informed as the Supreme Court is not a secret society. Let us always observe caution when disseminating information to the public.”