Finally Atiku, PDP appeal election tribunal ruling, seek declaration as president
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday appealed the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal at the Supreme Court, Abuja seeking wither declaration as winner or order fresh election.
Recall that the tribunal had on September 11, dismissed the petitions the PDP and its presidential candidate in Nigeria’s last general election, ruling against the petitioners.
The tribunal rejected all three of Atiku’s claims: that the election was marred by irregularities, that he [Atiku] received more votes than Buhari and that the president did not have a secondary school certificate, a basic requirement to contest the election.
In his final pronouncement, lead Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba ruled that “This petition is hereby dismissed in its entirety.”
On why PDP and Atiku appealed the judgment, both parties argued that the five-man tribunal erred in law “when they relied on ‘overall interest of justice’ to hold that the 2nd Respondent’s Exhibits R1 to R26, P85, and P86 were properly admitted in evidence.”
Atiku and his party further filed that they pleaded and proved the allegation that Buhari gave false information of a fundamental nature to INEC in aid of his qualification, adding that the Nigerian Military denied that it held or was in possession of the President’s certificates.
They are therefore asking the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal and grant the prayers sought by them which are to either declare Atiku winner or order fresh election.
