PDP alleges sabotage in supreme court fire incident, demands investigation

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an investigation into the fire incident at the supreme court. 

Fire gutted a section of the apex court on Monday. The fire which started in the office of Ibrahim Saulawa, one of the justices, destroyed some files.

The Federal Fire Service (FFS) said no casualty was recorded in the fire incident, noting that firefighters swung into action to contain the outbreak. 

Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said in a statement on Monday evening that the party was “alarmed” by the fire incident, describing it as suspicious.

The opposition party demanded an “immediate full-scale” investigation into the fire outbreak to unravel the “circumstances or possible sabotage” in the incident.

“The PDP is worried over the fire outbreak especially given heightened public apprehension of possible arsonist attack with the intent to cripple and frustrate the Supreme Court from effectively discharging its constitutional duties, especially with regard to high-profile electoral cases including the Presidential Election Appeals pending before it,” the statement reads.

The PDP said the outcome of the investigation should be made public unlike those of previous fire incidents in various government ministries, departments and agencies “which were characteristically swept under the carpet”.

The party asked the federal government to beef up security around the supreme court and ensure the safety of sensitive documents and equipment in the complex.

The supreme court is expected to deliver judgement in the appeal filed by the PDP and Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections against the victory of President Bola Tinubu.

Abubakar and the PDP are challenging the judgement of the election petition tribunal affirming Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 election.