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Friday, March 29, 2024

Atiku Vs Buhari: Journey So Far At The Presidential Election Tribunal (7) [MUST READ]

Respondents' Defense... C - The APC.

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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t wasn’t really shocking to observers in court when the All Progressives Congress, APC took a cue from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to equally close their case without calling any witness or tendering any material evidence in court.

As third Respondents, they had the benefits of hindsight from what happened with the seven witnesses the second Respondents, Buhari presented.

Having seen how the witnesses fell like park of cards under the Petitioners’ well-oiled cross-examination, the Chief Lateef O. Fagbemi-led legal team wrapped up their case the same moment Chief Wole Olanipekun prematurely did. And in doing so, the third Respondents left many questions unanswered.

1. The Petitioners tendered over 55,000 documents out of which over 80% were form EC8As – the polling booths result sheets used in the 11 contentious states during the election. Most of these were photocopies of duplicate copies submitted to Petitioners by the PDP polling unit agents during the election. APC, in their wisdom, and knowing fully INEC didn’t tender any in defense, failed to tender any document from their own agents to counter those the Petitioners tendered.

2. The Petitioners called 62 witnesses, with almost all accusing APC of rigging via vote buying , re-writing results, instigating violence, bribing and conniving with INEC officials and security agents, influencing INEC’s crazy award of figures as votes cast in their favour even at many places election did not hold, massive illegal thumb-printing, etc. APC, in their wisdom, refused to present a single witness to counter all these very damaging allegations. Bizarre!

3. INEC staff Witnesses the Petitioners presented claimed they transmitted results electronically via the card readers to the INEC server, a claim most of the PDP agents witnesses collaborated during cross-examination. But APC couldn’t present one witness to deflect those very indicting claims.

4. It was clear from the onset that Buhari didn’t have any certificate. But despite the Petitioners providing glaring proofs to that effect, APC didn’t provide materials or witnesses to clear itself of any blame by presenting such candidate to a nation of 200 million with an approximate estimate of over 25 million graduates of varied institutions. Incredible!

Is it because the APC defense team lack appropriate professional knowledge? Far from it!

Chief Fagbemi is a seasoned professional, very aggressive and excessively cunning. With the very noticeable character of forever being tongue-in-cheek, he taunted the Petitioners counterparts with coinages and adages clearly mired with mischief.

But for the fact that the Petitioners seemingly picked their team based on the ability to withstand all manner of provocative advances from the opposition, Fagbemi’s deadly tactics could have made several kills.

Therefore, Fagbemi’s evident ability showed why a ruling party that had been controlling the nation’s vast resources for four years chose him to lead a very impressive team that included about 20 more Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

So, Fagbemi and his team are very far from being underperformers. They took the only route available to a defense counsel that had a very bad case. They helplessly abandoned their defense and instead will rely on technicalities to try to urge the Tribunal to dismiss the petition.

But serious question will be – will any form of technicality disqualify the testimonies of the seven witnesses Buhari called in court?

Those witnesses all but won the case for the Petitioners without further documents or oral evidences.

Like his other tag team lead counsels, Fagbemi would definitely think twice, or even more, before touching any electoral case as terrible as the one he is still defending even with a sterilised barge pole.

Let’s see what the Tribunal will base on to declare the ruling party not guilty in this mother of all election petitions.

Keep following and sharing as…

#HistoryBeckons.

Tai Emeka Obasi is a trained engineer turned movie scriptwriter. He is a political and sports analyst. He is the author of The Senator. Connect with him on Facebook.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. 

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