Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election, has requested a three-week period to present 100 witnesses in support of his case against President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
During the proceedings before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja on Saturday, Atiku and his legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, revealed their intention to call various witnesses, including experts and individuals they would request the court to compel to testify.
According to Vanguard, Atiku’s lawyer, Uche SAN, stated, ‘We may not even need the full three weeks as the issues are becoming more focused.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Abubakar Mahmood, SAN, informed the court that it would call only two witnesses. Meanwhile, President-elect Tinubu stated that he would require only two days to counter Atiku’s case.
Tinubu’s lead counsel, Mr. Roland Otaro, SAN, further disclosed that they intended to call 39 witnesses to testify, along with any other individuals they may request to be subpoenaed.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by Mr. Solomon Umoh, SAN, stated that they would need two days to call 39 witnesses before the court.
In their joint petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023, Atiku and the PDP pray that the court withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the President-elect by INEC. The petitioners argue that Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the presidential election was invalid due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. They further allege that Tinubu’s election was tainted by corrupt practices and assert that he was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes.
Atiku also seeks a declaration from the court that he should be declared the winner of the presidential election, having received the second-highest number of lawful votes.
