Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, says parti w are free to approach the Supreme Court if not satisfied with the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
This is as he noted that the judiciary is facing unprecedented blackmail and intimidation over the presidential election petitions.
Falana, who spoke on a television programme on Monday, said there is no election petition that has attracted such attention in the country since colonial rule.
“We have been having election petitions since the colonial era, but none has attracted such level of blackmail and intimidation of the judiciary.
“I am worried that people give the impression that everything ends with the judgement 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?” the senior lawyer queried.
The senior advocate blamed the blackmail and intimidation on new voters whom he said have the belief that their candidate must be declared as the winner, saying that it is not what election tribunals are all about.
“As they say, even if the heavens will fall and the heavens won’t fall anyway, the judges must not be intimidated, they must give their decision regardless of blackmail or intimidations convinced that they can justify their judgment.
“That is what is required of them, to examine the evidence, apply the law and deliver a decision. 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,” Falana maintained.
