The Court of Appeal on Thursday refuted reports that one of the five members of the panel reviewing petitions to overturn President Bola Tinubu’s election had quit.
Bukola Gaar, head of media and personal assistant to the President, Court of Appeal, said the alleged resignation going viral on social media is “a fake report.”
Similarly, a high-ranking court official who spoke to Vanguard called the information “fake news” and insisted that “evil rumor mongers” were responsible for it.
The insider insisted that “no such thing happened,” but he begged to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“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.
“In fact, our attention was equally drawn to another fake news that a former Governor of Rivers State held a meeting with members of the court, outside the country.
“These are very laughable. How can the honourable justices on the panel travel abroad when they have enormous work pending on their desks? He emphasized.
Umar Sani, a Peoples Democratic Party Chieftain who is verified on Twitter, had tweeted that the justice resigned citing demands to “kneecap’ democracy”, and that ‘siding with Tinubu would mean the death of Nigeria’s democracy’. The tweet is currently going viral on social media and news blogs.