PEPC considers Atiku’s appeal to annul Tinubu’s election
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), sitting in Abuja, reserved its judgement on the petition filed by former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, challenging President Bola Tinubu’s election victory.
The five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, allowed all parties to present their final arguments before reserving judgement.
In their final written address, Atiku and the PDP, represented by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to declare President Tinubu ineligible to contest the presidential poll that took place on February 25. Alternatively, they requested the court to nullify the entire election and order a re-run.
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“Atiku Abubakar and the PDP alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite receiving over N355 billion for the election, deliberately bypassed all the technological innovations it introduced for the purpose of the 2023 general elections,” Chief Chris Uche, SAN, stated.
“They contended that INEC acted in breach of the amended Electoral Act, when it refused to electronically transmit results of the presidential election,” he added.
“On the issue of transmission of election results based on new provisions in the Electoral Act, we are all in agreement, including the INEC, that there is a new regime in election management,” Chief Chris Uche, SAN, further explained.
The Respondents, including INEC, President Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by their respective lawyers, dismissed the petition, asserting that the election was validly conducted and in compliance with relevant laws.
INEC’s legal team, led by Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, maintained that the presidential election was conducted in substantial compliance with the law.
President Tinubu’s team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, argued that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient grounds for nullification. President Tinubu emphasized that he was duly elected with a majority of valid votes.
Likewise, the APC, represented by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, equally prayed the court to dismiss the petition for want of merit.
After hearing all parties, the Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned the matter for judgement. The court will communicate the judgement date to all parties involved.
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