ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Renewed worries have surfaced regarding the possible influence of first-time voters on the judicial system during the 2023 general elections.
The human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, voiced his concerns during a recent interview on Channels TV Politics yesterday.
Falana emphasized the unprecedented level of blackmail and intimidation faced by the judiciary ahead of the impending judgment by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja, scheduled for Wednesday, 6 September 2023.
Falana stated, “Some of the people involved are voting for the first time, and they believe rightly or wrongly that their candidate must be declared the winner, and I think this is what is going on.”
He expressed dismay that despite historical election petitions, none have witnessed such intense pressure on the judiciary.
READ ALSO: Obi, Atiku vs Tinubu: Judiciary Shouldn’t Determine Winner Of Presidential Election – Bode George
He continued, “I am worried that people give the impression that everything ends with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
“Any party that loses on Wednesday still has the opportunity to appeal to the Supreme Court. So, what is the basis for the cheap blackmail that is going on?”
Falana urged the judges not to be swayed by intimidation and to deliver their decisions based on evidence and the law.
He concluded, “One way or the other, some will lose, some will win, but those who lose in the case and are aggrieved will have another opportunity to approach the Supreme Court and demonstrate how the Court of Appeal has erred.”