Don’t intimidate the judiciary, Atiku’s aide tells Tinubu

Phrank Shaibu, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, says President Bola Tinubu should not intimidate the judicial arm of government.

During his Democracy Day speech, Tinubu said illegal court orders used to truncate the country’s democracy would not be allowed.

“It has become imperative to state here that the unnecessary illegal orders used to truncate or abridge democracy will no longer be tolerated,” the president had said.

In a statement on Monday, Shaibu wondered if Tinubu was aiming at imposing a dictatorship rule on the country.

“What is an illegal court order?” he said.

“Is it an order that Bola Tinubu finds unfavourable? Is it within his powers to determine what order to obey and which one to disregard?

“This is a man who just last week obtained a court order to stop the Nigeria Labour Congress from going on strike. However, now he suddenly realises that unnecessary so-called illegal orders used in truncating democracy would no longer be tolerated.

“His predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, lost the presidential election thrice and went to court thrice. Yet Tinubu is painting a narrative that it is only sore losers that challenge the outcome of elections.

“If he is sure of electoral victory in the last election, then he should be confident and stop trying to intimidate the judiciary and compromise opposition politicians with appointments.”