Rivers Election: PDP Abusing Freedom Of Speech By Accusing Me, Says Malami

Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice who doubles as the attorney general of the federation, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is abusing the freedom of speech by accusing him of interfering in the outcome of Rivers State governorship election.

Mr Malami, a cabinet member of the present administration which is fond of accusing its predecessor for its incompetence, stated this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The PDP had accused the attorney general alongside Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, of plotting to cause a constitutional crisis in the state due to the outcome of the governorship election in which Nyesom Wike, was re-elected for a second term in office.

The party through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiya on Sunday,  said it has been informed of how desperate the All Progressive  Congress (APC) figures and their agents have been mounting pressure on the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Mohammed, to reverse the February 12, 2019 final judgment of the Supreme Court.

The Apex court had in its verdict on the said day, upheld the verdict of the trial court that excluded the APC from participating in the National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly Elections in Rivers State, having nullified the party’s flawed primaries in the state.

Reacting to the allegation, Malami said the claim by the PDP will remain an accusation until proven otherwise through the court.

He said the accusation against him is an abuse of freedom of speech which is enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

“Regarding what was leveled against me by PDP, I think it remains an accusation. It has to remain so until proven through a judicial process,” Malami said.

“But for me I think it is freedom of speech that has been taken too far,” he added.