Breaking: Presidential Tribunal Admits EU’s Final Report Which Faulted Tinubu’s Victory

 

 

 

The report tendered by former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was admitted as exhibit in spite of vehement objections by President Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The European Union Election Observer Mission had, in the report, claimed that the presidential election did not show credibility, fairness, and transparency in the ways and manner it was conducted by INEC.

The report tendered through INEC’s sole witness and Director of Information Technology (IT), Dr. Lawrence Bayode said only 31 per cent of the presidential election result was uploaded into INEC’s result viewing portal.

 

 

Before the admission of the report, Atiku through his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN had applied that cross examination of the INEC’s witness must be kick-started by Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in view of their common interests against Atiku’s petition.

The application was, however, bluntly opposed by Tinubu and APC through their lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN respectfully.

The logjam that followed the application forced the 5-man tribunal members to rise into their chambers to consult relevant laws on the mode of cross examination in such an instant case.

Upon resumption, the court ruled in favour of Atiku and ordered Tinubu and APC to first cross examine the witness, which they complied with.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has been ordered to open the defense of his victory in the presidential election on Tuesday, June 4, 2023, by the Presiding Justice of the Presidential Election Petition Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani.