Atiku, PDP open case, tender result sheets for Niger, Yobe 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar have tendered result sheets used in the February 23 presidential election before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

Following the beginning of main hearing in the matter, Atiku and PDP tendered INEC forms EC8C, EC8B and EC8A used for Polling Units, Ward, and Local Governments in both Niger and Yobe states during the election

Atiku and PDP’s team was initially led by foremost constitutional lawyer, Prof Ben Nwabueze (SAN) and Levy Uzoukwu (SAN). But Prof Nwanueze requested the tribunal to allow Uzoukwu continue with the presentation.

However, lawyers to the INEC, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN); President Muhammadu Buhari, Igbokwe (SAN) and APC, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) objected to the admissibility of the documents, but reserved the reasons till final address as earlier agreed by parties.

Election results from 25 LGs of Niger State and 17 LGs of Yobe were tendered and admitted by the tribunal.

Earlier, Nwabueze said he was in the tribunal to assist it find out the truth about the election, which has been widely adjudged to have been “manipulated or, in more familiar language, rigged.”

“The decided election cases show the Election Tribunal/Court to have succumbed all too readily to these constraining factors, but Nigerians still expect it to rise above the self-imposed shackles in order to find out the truth about what happened during that election. The tribunal owes it a duty to the country to do so, as the discovery of the truth will help to set us free from the scourge of electoral malpractices,” he said.