The Nigeria Presidency have ordered a secret probe of the Supreme Court judges and their immediate families.
The National security Adviser in a recent top level security meeting ordered for the probe, starting from the Chief Justice.
A reliable presidency source informed us that fears in the presidency of a possible unfavourable verdict in the Presidential election petition filed by retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples's party(ANPP)and Mr. Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress(AC)necesitated the probe.
The thinking in the Presidency is that the Presidential election tribunal which is equivalent of the Apppeal Court,can be arm twisted to deliever a judgement that will be favourable to the presidency,the fear however,lies in what the supreme court will do when the case eventually goes to the apex court, considering the recent judgements of the Supreme court,our source explained.
The Presidency, according to the source,have mapped out plans to manage any eventuality that may
arise from the Presidential election petition,chief amongst these plans being the secret probe of the Supreme Court Judges and their immediate families.The secret nature of the probe according to our source, is because of its sensitive nature.
The outcome of the probe may not be used to prosecute anybody, the aim may be to collect dossiers on the judges and members of their immediate families.Such dossiers may be used to arm twist the judges to deliever a favourable judgement, our source further explained.
This same method was used to arm twist the supreme court under Justice Muhammed Uwaise to deliever a favourable judgement to the retired General Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency in the presidential election petition filed my retired General Muhammadu Buhari challenging Obasanjo's re-election as president in 2003.
Buhari's lawyer was amasing victories at the Presidential election tribunal which culminated into a verdict that voided the votes in Obasanjo's State, Ogun and in the then Vice-President's State, Adamawa in that election.
When the case moved to the Supreme Court,the Obasanjo Presidency sensing a repeat of what happened at the tribunal, started a secret probe of the Supreme court judges and their immediate families. At a point, the office of the then chief justice was broken into and sensitve files taken away. The Supreme court justices only got respite when a verdict favourable to the Presidency was delievered.
Senior Presidency officials, when contacted declined comments,but a middle level official who does not want to be named, confirmed the probe and added that "probes of this nature are routine."
