DSS has hijacked election tribunals, says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of trying to influence the outcome of the governorship election petitions in some states.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the party, said he had evidence to substantiate the claim.

Metuh called on Mahumud Mohammed, the chief justice of Nigeria, to prevail the independence of the judiciary upon judges of the tribunal.

“We have it on good authority that the DSS has interfered by summoning the tribunal members in some PDP controlled states like Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia,” he said.

“The effort by the DSS to interfere in tribunal judgment is unknown to security services anywhere in the world. We want to inform Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the chief Justice of Nigeria, about what is happening.

“Yesterday, one of the ministerial nominees insisted that the DSS should summon the tribunal judges to influence the judgement of his state. If this is allowed to continue, it will be difficult for Nigerians to have confidence in the judiciary.”

This is not the first time that Metuh will make such allegation.

In July, he accused Lawal Daura, director-general of the service, of scheming to “enthrone draconian regime” by influencing election matters in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“PDP decries attempts to enthrone draconian regime where security forces and other apparatus of the ruling party will decide to be influencing election matters and outcome on behalf of the ruling party,” he had said.

“In that regard, the national working committee has been made aware that the new director-general of DSS has even invited some people in relation to Rivers tribunal and other states in trying to discuss such matters with tribunal members.

“The PDP alerts the national and international community that this is a gross interference with democratic affairs and that it can lead to authoritarian regime.”