Buhari vs Atiku: Tribunal reserves judgment on Presidential election petition

The petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the February 23, 2019 poll, has been reserved by the presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The five-man tribunal which was led by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced this after listening to the final arguments of the parties to the case.

Justice Garba said, the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties through their lawyers, adding that “‎judgment in this petition is hereby reserved and will be delivered on the date to be sent to counsel for the parties.

At the Wednesday’s hearing, representing the petitioners, the lead counsel Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), urged the court to uphold their case by either declaring them the winner of the election or order a fresh one.

However, the respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) represented by Yunus Usman (SAN), Buhari, whose legal team was led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), and the All Progressives Congress represented by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.

The petitioners had called 62 witnesses to prove its case, while the INEC and the APC called none, Buhari called seven in defence.

The tribunal, on August 1, directed parties to file and exchange their final addresses and fixed Wednesday for the adoption of the addresses.