Atiku v Buhari: Presidential Election Tribunal Begins Hearing Today
The Presidential Election Tribunal will, today, commence hearing in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressive Congress, APC, by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as winner of the February 23 presidential election.
The tribunal had already granted both parties permission to have access to the materials used for the election for the purpose of inspection.
Findings at the tribunal’s Secretariat, by Daily Sun, yesterday, indicated that hearing notices had been sent to all parties to the petition.
Atiku and PDP had, in their separate petitions, asked the tribunal to declare Buhari’s election invalid by reason of fraud, corrupt practices and manipulation of results.
The petitioners contended that Buhari was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election as well as substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
The petitioners also said Buhari submitted to INEC an affidavit containing false information of a fundamental nature, to aid his qualification for the said election.
They further submitted that Buhari, who was declared winner, by INEC, was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the said presidential election and did not score one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in at least two-thirds of the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.