The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja and headed by Justice M. L Garba has commenced final judgment on the 2019 Presidential election.
LAGOSTIMES had reported that Atiku Abubakar is challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in February election.
Live updates of the final judgment of the Presidential tribunal…
1: 41 pm: The presidential tribunal returns from a short break.
1: 17 pm: Buhari vs Atiku: The presidential tribunal as so far:
Dismissed INEC’s claim that Livy Uzoukwu, Atiku’s lead counsel is not a legal practitioner
Dismissed INEC’s claim that Osinbajo should have been joined in the suit alongside Buhari.
Refused INEC’s request to strike out some of the PDP’s witnesses
Refused INEC’s request to dismiss Atiku’s prayer seeking Buhari’s disqualification from the election
Struck out the PDP’s argument that Buhari and Osinbajo used government funds to induce voters
Dismissed Buhari’s contention that Atiku was not qualified to file the petition challenging his election
Dismissed PDP’s argument that security operatives rigged the election to favour Buhari
Dismissed Buhari’s response challenging Atiku’s motion on the alleged none use of card readers
Dismissed PDP’s motion alleging abuse of court processes in APC’s applications
1: 03 pm: The presidential tribunal goes on a short break which Garba, the lead judge, says is to enable the panel to “refresh.”
1: 00 pm: The presidential tribunal delivers its ruling on the APC’s application in question. It struck out some paragraphs in the PDP’s petition but upheld the paragraphs on qualification and lying on oath.
12: 59 pm: The presidential tribunal dismisses the motion filed by the PDP and Atiku alleging abuse of court processes relating to an application filed by the APC, the third respondent.
12: 22 pm: The presidential tribunal rules that Atiku is qualified to file the petition.
The presidential tribunal also dismisses a contention by President Buhari that Atiku was not qualified to file the petition challenging his election.
12: 11 pm: The lead judge, Justice Garba says he agrees with the submission of the respondent’s counsel that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the matter. The lead judge adds that the court lacks the power to try those accused of using government funds for purposes they were not appropriated for.
12: 10 pm: The presidential tribunal strikes out some paragraphs of the petitions filed by Atiku and PDP in which they accused President Buhari, the second respondent, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of using government funds to induce voters.
11: 54 am: The presidential tribunal ruled that section 138 (1)(a) of the electoral act allows for the filing of the petition relating to the allegation of false information.
11: 45 am: The presidential tribunal strikes out Osita Chidoka’s testimony. Chidoka is the star witness for the petitioner, Atiku Abubakar.
11: 20 am: But the tribunal held that grounds 4 and 5 of the petition is not a pre-election matter and that they are hereby accepted based on the provisions of the electoral act 2010 as amended.
The presidential tribunal struck out an application filed by INEC, the first respondent, asking it to nullify grounds 4 and 5 of the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP.
The ground 4 is seeking the court to disqualify Buhari on grounds of non-qualification while ground 5 is claiming Buhari submitted false information of a fundamental nature.
11: 16 am: The presidential tribunal refuses INEC’s request to dismiss Atiku’s prayer seeking Buhari’s disqualification on the ground that he was not qualified to contest the election.
The paragraphs INEC is seeking to strike out in the response relate to issues raised by the PDP and Atiku on INEC servers. They also touch on the transmission of the election results.
11: 10 am: The tribunal is about to rule on the last motion filed by INEC. A prayer in the motion is seeking to strike out paragraphs 1 to 24 of the 1st respondent (INEC) reply to the petitioners in part 2 of the petition.
The tribunal also ruled that the lead counsel of the PDP was conferred senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1992, and proceeded to strike out the motion as filed by INEC. The presidential tribunal held that INEC’s allegation is unfounded and that Uzoukwu was indeed called to the Nigerian Bar.
10: 24 am: The presidential tribunal dismisses INEC’s motion arguing that Atiku’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu, is not a legal practitioner called to the Nigerian Bar.