Presidential tribunal: INEC boss disobeying summons, Atiku, PDP allege

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar have accused the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmud Yakubu of disobeying subpoena issued on him to produce documents.

Atiku and PDP, through their lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN) also accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Zamfara of failing to produce some documents subpoenaed before the tribunal.

Uche said the subpoena to the INEC chairman was issued on July 9 while the subpoena for Zamfara was July 12, adding that he has written letters earlier on the need to produce the documents before reporting to court subpoena.

“There was a letter written on April 15, addressed to the chairman of INEC and an earlier one on April 9, 2019, and an earlier letter of March 12, 2019 on the same document, and a letter to Ustaz enumerating our challenges in June 2019,” he said.

But INEC counsel, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) said he met the INEC chairman with other members of the legal team up till 11.30pm on Tuesday and he never mentioned the service of the summons on him.

He said an official of INEC in Zamfara had sent him a text message that they have prepared the stated documents as requested by PDP lawyers but they have failed to show up to pay the required fees.

Also, lead counsel to President Muhammadu Buhari, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and APC lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) all claimed not being aware of the request for documents from both the INEC chairman and REC in Zamfara.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mohammed Garba ruled that the records of the court showed that the subpoena was served and received by the INEC chairman on July 15 and Zamfara on July 12.

He said it was difficult for INEC chairman to produce the results same day as they were served as contained in the subpoena.

He therefore ordered both INEC chairman and Zamfara REC to produce the documents before the tribunal on Thursday July 18.