Ever since the Presidential election petition tribunal indicated in a letter to the Nigerian President, Mr. Umar Yar'Adua, whose election is being challenged at the tribunal and the Presidential candidates of All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP), Rtd. Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, and his Action Congress counterpart, Mr. Atiku Abubakar, whose consolidated petitions seek to nullify the 2007 Presidetial election that brought the President to power, of its intention to deliever judgement on the matter on tuesday, 26th february, 2008, there have been harvest of slush funds in Nigeria's capital city Abuja.
A Presidency source involved in the movement of cash from one of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's(NNPC)guest houses and from the home of billionaire businessman, Mr. Aliko Dangote, informed us that there is need to "settle" some influential members of the Local Press, first class traditional rulers, some influential civil society activists and some "radical" National assembly members.
The aim, according to our source is two-fold, in the event of the case going against the President, necesitating an appeal,there will be frenzy of opinions in favour of the Supreme court upturning the verdict,and in the event of the case being in favour of the President, there will be calls for all and sundry to accept the verdict, while more pressures will be piled on Buhari and Atiku not to appeal the verdict.
A senior judiciary source when asked which way the case could go replied that "nothing is foreclosed",because according to her, even though the verdict on the onset was three against two in favour of the petitioners, but since the commencement of the writing of the verdict,there have been serious pressures on people very close to one of the members of the tribunal on the side of the petitioners to cross over.
This harvest of slush funds, according to our source will perk on saturday, 23rd february, 2008, when the disbusement is expected to take place. Our source further hinted that for now, most of the personalities involved or their emmisaries are already in private guest houses in Abuja waiting for the bazzar.
While working on this report, an anonymous call was made to our Publisher/Editor-in-chief threatening him with serious consequences if this story is published.
We are however, keenly monitoring this situation and will surely post updates if and when necesary.
