The All Progressives Congress, APC, has berated Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for rising in defence of Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, over the decision of the federal government to charge the chief jurist for corruption.
PDP had in a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, said the develoment was part of a plot by the APC-led federal government to destabilise the Judiciary so as to rig the 2019 general elections.
“This is particularly following allegations that the APC seeks a new CJN that will aid its rigging schemes as well as execute the plot to use the court to detain and put opposition members and outspoken members of Civil Society Organisations out of circulation during the general elections,” PDP had said in its reaction.
But APC in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, accused the PDP of being sympathetic to corruption.
”Following reports of the move to prosecute Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of the Federation, over an alleged infraction on the Code of Conduct laws, the swift statement by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, condemning the purported move has again exposed the party as one with a natural inclination to rise in defence of cases of alleged corruption,” the party said in the statement signed by its spokesman, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu.
The party said PDP’s resort to baseless postulations anytime issues of corruption was leveled against public officers only confirmed what Nigerians already knew.
It said: “PDP and corruption are siamese twins that are difficult to separate from each other. One would have thought that the PDP will call for impartial investigations when corruption cases are levelled against public officers, but spinning falsehoods and conspiracies remains the opposition party’s favourite past time.
“The fight against corruption remains a cardinal promise made by the APC to the electorate. We assure the PDP and indeed all Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration remains uncompromising in its determination to rid the country of this malady.
“As noted on many occasions by President Buhari, it is only those who have committed crimes that need to worry. The APC administration will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute any public officer if and when such is indicted for corruption.
“Achieving acceptable elections in all democratic climes is a collective effort which requires the contributions and support of all well-meaning Nigerians, political parties, institutions and sundry interests.
“Commendably, in successive elections conducted under the APC administration, the Party has played by the rules, which has led to credible elections. This cannot be said of the PDP era when state institutions were deployed to manipulate the electoral process.
“The PDP’s baseless conspiracy theory on APC’s participation in the 2019 general elections should hereby be disregarded. We remain solidly committed to ensure that the forthcoming election go on record as one of the freest, most credible and peaceful elections in the country.”
