Presidential poll result: Atiku drags Buhari to tribunal

…Files election petition urging tribunal to declare him winner and disqualify President

…’Despite denial of access by INEC to poll materials, we have gathered relevant materials for the trial’

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, filed an election petition at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Abuja, praying it to declare Atiku as the winner of the February 23, 2019 presidential election.

The petitioners also prayed the tribunal to disqualify the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, the declare winner of the election as unqualified.

Joined as respondents to the petition are the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondent respectively.

Speaking after the petition was filed at the Court of Appeal registrar on Monday, at about 7pm, the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Emmanuel Enoidem, said that the petitioners have asked for two major reliefs.

One, a declaration that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP for the February 23, 2019 presidential election was the winner of that poll.

Second, and alternatively, a declaratory reliefs that the February 23, 2019 presidential election was marred by wide spread irregularities therefore it should be cancelled.

The party also prayed the tribunal for declaration that President Buhari who the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the winner of the said election was not qualified.

Enoidem said that the party has assembled over 400 witnesses to testify in favour of the petition during the trial.

He said that despite the denial of access by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the election materials the party had gathered all relevant materials from agents across the country for the trial.

Also speaking on the same issue, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), confirmed they have filed the petition although they have up till tomorrow as the deadline.

“We have been having challenges accessing the materials the Tribunal approved for the party to inspect at the Electoral Commission.

“Our petition is strong, solid and unassailable, we believe that the true owner of the people’s mandate will be returned by the tribunal,” the senior lawyer added.