The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has reserved judgement on the petitions filed by the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the fraudulent outcome of the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election.
The trial Judge, Justice Garba Mohammed told the court that the date for the ruling will be communicated to lead counsel for the parties.
The court resumed today with the adoption of final written addresses by all the counsel to the parties.
During the adoption of the written addresses, counsel to the APC, Chief Fagbemi announced to the court that his client has filed additional authorities at the court, citing the ruling of the Supreme Court on Tuesday August 20, 2019.
Dr. Uzoukwu of the PDP and Atiku/Obi challenged the admissibility and eligibility of the new authorities, saying that the time for such documents had elapsed and final written addresses by all the parties had been submitted.
The Trial Judge, Justice Garba Mohammed informed the court that the PDP and Atiku/Obi should go ahead and respond to the documents since they have been served, saying that the court will take further decisions on all the issues.
While adopting his final written address, Dr. Uzoukwu of the PDP and Atiku/Obi emphasized on the non qualification of the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari), in the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election.
He reminded the court that one of the grounds of petition in an election in both the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the electoral act 2010 (as amended), is submitting false information of a fundamental nature.
He told the court that this is very grievous and attempt by both the 2nd and the 3rd Respondents to trivialize the Issues is totally not acceptable and the court should take a firm decision on the matter.
*Dr. Uzoukwu reminded the court that if and only if the educational certificates of the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari), existed or is with the Nigerian mIlitary as he claimed, he as the commander in chief of the Armed Forces should Order the military to release the documents to him to present to the court.*
He adopted all his written addresses and submit thus:
1. That the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari) does not have any certificate(s) as claimed in his form CF001
2. That the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents could not defend the fraud in the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election
3. That witnesses provided by the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari) himself further compounded his case when he told the court that it’s not the duty of the Nigerian Army to collect credentials of military officers for save-keeping.
4. That the variations on the documents submitted by the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari) speaks volumes. That in some documents, it reads Mohamed Buhari and in another document, it reads Muhammadu Buhari.
Also, in one examination, in some documents the scores is for 8 subjects and in another it’s for 6 subjects.
5. That the 2nd Respondent only relied on the electoral act 2010 in most of his authorities and abandoned the amendments of the act that gave INEC unfettered access to determined the mode of voting or collation.
He therefore submit that the 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari) was not qualified ab initio to contest the February 23, 2019 Presidential election and was not the rightful winner of the election.
On that note, he asked the court to declare the former Vice President of Nigeria and Candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar as the winner of the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election.
