ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday, May 20, 2023, revealed his intention to contest the presidential election results in court vigorously.
He is seeking three weeks to summon a massive cohort of 100 witnesses, challenging the victory of the newly elected President, Bola Tinubu.
Saturday’s proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, in Abuja witnessed the revelation by Atiku’s legal team.
Led by the venerable Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the team announced plans to call upon a vast array of individuals ranging from expert witnesses to those who would be subpoenaed to testify in the election dispute.
“We may not even exhaust the three weeks because the issues are getting narrower,” said Uche, conveying a sense of strategic optimism despite the weight of the task ahead.
In response, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through its lawyer Abubakar Mahmood, SAN, assured the court of its readiness to call two witnesses to defend the legitimacy of the electoral process.
Simultaneously, the victorious President-elect, Tinubu, made a bold claim, asserting that he would only need two days to dismantle Atiku’s case.
Roland Otaro, SAN, Tinubu’s lead counsel, has stated they are preparing to present 39 witnesses to testify, potentially complemented by others subpoenaed to appear before the court.
In a show of solidarity, the All Progressives Congress, APC, represented by Solomon Umoh, SAN, mirrored this sentiment, promising to rally the same number of witnesses in defense of Tinubu’s victory.
Atiku and the PDP have jointly petitioned (CA/PEPC/05/2023) the court to invalidate the Certificate of Return issued to Tinubu by INEC.
The petitioners are contesting the legality of Tinubu’s victory, labeling it “invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022,” and further alleging corrupt practices.
In an assertive final plea, Atiku has called on the court to declare him the rightful winner of the presidential election, having claimed to secure the second-highest number of lawful votes cast at the election.
The weeks ahead promise a series of high-stakes legal confrontations that could potentially redefine the Nigerian political landscape.
For Atiku, the battle to turn the tide of the election in his favour has only just begun.
