Atiku, Buhari to Know Fate Wednesday as Tribunal Set to Deliver Judgment

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has fixed Wednesday
for delivery of its judgment in the petition filed by candidate of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential
election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against the re-election of
President Muhammadu Buhari.

The five man panel headed by Justice Mohammed Garba had on
August 21 reserved judgment in the petition to a date that would be
communicated to parties shortly after all lawyers in the petition
adopted and argued their final written addresses.

The tribunal has fixed tomorrow for judgment barely five days to
the expiration of the life of the suit.

One of the government’s counsel in the matter, who craved
anonymity, confirmed that the tribunal communicated the date for
judgment to parties on Tuesday.

The judgment if delivered tomorrow falls within the 180 days
provided by law for the determination of electoral matters.

While the election was held on February 23, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on February 27 declared
President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the presidential poll.

However not satisfied, Atiku and his party had approached the
court to challenge the victory.

In their joint petition filed on March 18, 2019, they insisted
that they and not Buhari and APC won the presidential election of
February 23, 2019.

According to them, INEC had connived with Buhari, APC and agents
of the Federal Government including the military, to rig the
election in favour of Buhari.

They therefore urged the tribunal to nullify the victory of
Buhari and declare them winner of the February 23 presidential
election.

Equally, the petitioners asked the tribunal to nullify Buhari’s
participation in the election on grounds that he did not possess
the necessary academic qualifications for the office of President
and that President Buhari submitted false information to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to aid his
qualification for the said election.

Details later…

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