'This desperation must stop' - Presidency accuses Atiku of plotting to blackmail judiciary

The presidency has berated Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he is yet to recover from the “shock of defeat he suffered”.

This is contained in a statement released by presidential spokesman Dele Alake on Saturday, July 22.

The presidency was reacting to Atiku's earlier statement claiming that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are plotting to undermine the judiciary.

Atiku and his party are challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in court.

You are making spurious allegations, Presidency blasts Atiku

In the statement on Saturday, the presidency said the former vice president was making spurious and wild allegations" to discredit the Tinubu-led government.

According to Alake, Atiku failed to provide any evidence or convincing argument to back up his claims on how the Tinubu-led administration and APC sought to compromise the judiciary to get a favourable judgement.

The statement read partly: “In the ill-thought-out and illogical statement, Alhaji Atiku accused the current administration of the governing APC of plotting to undermine the judiciary without providing any shred of evidence.

“Apart from innuendos, insinuations and outright lies contained in the said press statement, the former Vice President Atiku didn’t put forward any convincing argument to support his claims on how the President Tinubu-led administration and APC sought to undercut, undermine and compromise the judiciary."

Alake further lambasted the former VP, saying he would not be making baseless allegations to discredit the presidency if he truly believes in democracy and the sanctity of the Judiciary.

“He shamelessly resorted to this cheap attempt to intimidate and blackmail the judiciary even when he is a party to a case before the presidential election tribunal," the presidential spokesman added.

He said President Tinubu stands shoulder above Atiku "when it comes to matters of fighting for democracy and democratic ideals, the rule of law and independence of the Judiciary in Nigeria".

Tinubu won a free, fair and credible election, Alake insists

Alake further said President Tinubu and the APC have no reason to undermine the judiciary in the hope of any favourable judgement because they won a free and fair election.

“President Tinubu won a free, fair and credible election. The February 25th, 2023 presidential election that produced him is the most transparent election ever conducted in Nigeria since 1999," he said.

The presidential spokesman further told Atiku and the PDP to allow the judiciary perform its duty, especially regarding the petitions at the tribunal.

“Atiku Abubakar should be honourable enough as a statesman to allow the judiciary to perform its sacred duty without harassment and this resort to self-help.

"Attempting to discredit an important institution of state for selfish political ends is disingenuous, shameful and unbecoming of a former vice president of Nigeria. This desperation must stop," the statement concluded.