Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Dismisses Atiku’s Major Claim

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has thrashed the application of Atiku Abubakar that President Muhammadu Buhari is not academically fit to contest for the office.

Naijaparry understands that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said Buhari defeated Atiku in the February 23 election.

Atiku dragged Buhari before the tribunal and claimed that the president was not academically qualified to vie for the office.

However, while delivering judgement on the application Wednesday, the presiding judge of the tribunal Justice Mohammed Garba, said Atiku’s evidence and his party presented before the tribunal shows Buhari is clearly qualified to vie for the office of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tribunal Dismisses Server Claims

Earlier on, the tribunal had dismissed the testimony the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) star witness, Osita Chidoka on INEC server.

Former Aviation Minister’s testimony was struck out for introducing facts not canvassed in the petition when it was filed.

Chidoka served as the National Collation Officer of the PDP during the 2019 presidential election and testified as a star witness for the petitioner.

The PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar earlier in July presented Chidoka as their 62nd witness.

In its 4th ruling of the day, the Tribunal said the statement was incompetent, having been filed in violation of the provision of the Electoral Act.

Chidoka had testified that an INEC server, where election results were stored existed, based on what he claimed INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu consistently said.

But cross-examined by INEC’s lawyer, Yunus Usman, he admitted he had never seen the server.

“I have not seen the server but INEC consistently told us of the server and the INEC Chairman at the national collation of results of the election acknowledged the existence of the server.”