The Court of Appeal has stated that there is no truth behind the rumoured resignation of Justice Boloukuoromo M. Ugo, a member of the five-man panel presiding over the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).
Rumour trending on social media has it that Justice Ugo in “a shocking and unprecedented move” resigned from the bench over pressure from the executive arm of the government which he believed would destroy the country’s democracy.
The rumour mongers claimed that intense pressure was being mounted on the panel to subvert the course of justice to favour President Bola Tinubu.
This was said to have infuriated Justice Ugo, who purportedly resigned instead of doing such bidding.
The rumour circulated hours after the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, denied speaking with President Tinubu or mounting pressure on the PEPC presiding judges to subvert the course of justice to favour the president.
Vanguard quoted an unnamed top source in the Appeal Court as saying that Justice Ugo’s supposed resignation was untrue.
Blaming rumour mongers, the source said, “I was with some members of the panel yesterday and I can authoritatively tell you that there was nothing like that.
“In fact, we were shocked when our attention was drawn to the fake news. The true position is that parties in the petitions were given time to file and exchange their final written address. They are already doing that.
“Once the process is completed, the panel will communicate a date for the parties to appear in court to adopt their processes after which the petitions will be fixed for judgement.
“So, it is absurd for someone to sit in a corner of his room and concoct lies from the figment of his or her imagination.”