PDP Slams Okorocha Over Jonathan Attack, Blackmail Of Judiciary

The national leadership of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, has berated the
Imo state governor, Rochas
Okorocha, for attempting to
undermine the sacred
institution of the judiciary
by alleging that President
Goodluck Jonathan is
going to influence the
Supreme Court judgment on
a pending case challenging
his (Okorocha) emergence as governor.
The ruling party
said the
allegation was part of the governor’s strategy to whip up sentiments and
blackmail the judiciary into believing that he is a victim of a political attack.
The party slammed Gov. Okorocha for attempting to divert attention from the
substance of the Supreme Court case slated for October 31, 2013.
The apex court will rule on the case challenging Okorocha’s mandate as
governor.
Okorocha had reportedly accused President Jonathan of planning to
influence the judgment of the Supreme Court on the suit challenging his
emergence as governor, which has been slated for Thursday.
PDP, which made its position known in a statement issued by its National
Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said Okorocha had always been wary of the
fact that justice would prevail against him for allegedly stealing the peoples’
mandate in 2011, hence his latest resort to blackmail and attacks on the
Judiciary and the Presidency ahead of the apex court’s ruling on the case.
“This governor has been living in morbid fear of having justice prevailing
against him at the Supreme Court for stealing the mandate of the people in
2011,” the party said in a statement.
“As such, he now seeks to use the instrumentality of blackmail and political
subterfuge to divert the attention of the Supreme Court from the substance of
the case against him ahead of the apex court’s ruling on October 31, 2013.
“It is to say the least, despicable that a state governor who swore to defend
the constitution, will in a desperate bid to retain a stolen mandate,
condescend so low to attempt to hoodwink and undermine the sacred
institution of the Judiciary, even the Supreme Court.”
The ruling party said while it remains steadfast in its belief in the impartiality
of the judiciary, it was calling on this institution to note the activities of such
undemocratic elements, who attempt to use every means to undermine and
derail it.
“Moreover, the APC is aware that it will lose the 2015 general elections and
even the governorship of states presently under its control. As such, it is now
using the Imo state governor’s attempt to blackmail the Judiciary a test for
a bigger plot to weaken this institution ahead of 2015,” the party said.