Lagos — The Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over what it called "clandestine approach" by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to use the judiciary to upturn local government tribunal verdicts in favour of the PDP.

State chairman of the PDP, Mr Tuniji Shelle said after the 2011 local government election, aggrieved party members headed for tribunal and were able to secure victories in three local councils and six councillorship seats but said curiously, the party lost four councillorship seats and Badagry LCDA all of which it had earlier won at the lower tribunal.

"In a very provocative manner, the appeal tribunal of five sitting Lagos High Court Judges have begun to overturn the judgments in the few areas we won at the Tribunal. The Cases of the Badagry local government chairmanship and four councillorship have now been overturned on appeal. It is more disappointing that the appeal tribunal is rather political than judicial as it 'deliberately' misapplied the provisions of the local government elections tribunal law.

"We are aware and now convinced that same fate will befall all our pending petitions. This is the DIRECTIVE from an unseen hand to the Appeal tribunal. This action is very undemocratic and can lead to breakdown of Law and Order. On our part, we shall counsel the Appeal tribunal to thread softly and deliver Justice. They must not be used as agent provocateur in this political experiment. We are watching," Shelle said.

The Lagos PDP chairman said his party is not against ACN appealing the verdicts of the lower tribunal enjoined all to stand up and "be counted in this fight to sustain our fledgling democracy."