The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad has called on Nigerians to desist from peddling rumour, noting that falsehood peddlers and rumour mongers would be made to face the wrath of the law.
He issued the warning in a statement denying issuing a directive for the transfer of a House of Representatives election petition case in Delta State from the Panel 3 to Panel 2 of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
The warning was contained in the statement by the Director of Press and Information, Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande.
It was referring to a case between the member representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Nicholas Mutu, whose election is being challenged, and Collins Eselomo, the petitioner.
Eselemo of the All Progressives Congress had earlier in June 2019 petitioned the CJN requesting the transfer of the case to another panel of the tribunal over alleged judicial misconduct in the handling of his case by the panel originally hearing it.
The CJN refuted claims that he never issued any letter for the transfer of the case, while he warned of dire consequences against falsehood peddlers.
He enjoined members of the public “particularly politicians, to always conduct themselves with decorum and respect, especially when making weighty allegations and insinuations of that nature, as the consequences are always dire and far-reaching”.
“Anybody caught spreading such misleading and harmful information will certainly be made to face the full weight of the law to serve as a deterrent to the several others who are waiting eagerly in the queue to administer their own dose of infectious falsehood on the unsuspecting public.”