Posted by By GODWIN TSA Abuja on
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed his readiness to appear before the presidential election tribunal to defend the result of the April 21 elections that brought into power, President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed his readiness to appear before the presidential election tribunal to defend the result of the April 21 elections that brought into power, President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Specifically, the former Head of State said he was ready to defend all the allegations contained in the election petition filed by presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), against the outcome of the election.
Obasanjo conveyed his position in the memorandum of appearance he filed before the tribunal on Thursday.
Buhari, in his petition, accused Obasanjo of using security agents to the advantage of his party - the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the election.
Meanwhile, the tribunal will on September 3, 2007, decide on whether or not it would consolidate all the petitions before it. To this effect, it has directed all parties in the petitions to be present on that day when the decision would be taken.
In addition, the tribunal will also rule on the objection filed by Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) presidential candidate in the April election.
Yar' Adua, in his notice of preliminary objection, told the tribunal that Ojukwu's petition was not filed in compliance with the 2006 Electoral Act.
Earlier in the week, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Jame Ogebe, had suggested to counsel to Buhari, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubarkar and ANPP, petitioners before the tribunal, to merge their petitions in order to save the time of the tribunal or in the alternative choose one of the petitions, which would serve as a test case. The judgment on any petition chosen as a test case will be binding on other petitioners.
Also on Thursday, at the tribunal, the Action Congress (AC) accused the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of delaying proceedings at the tribunal.
Senator Ben Obi, running-mate of Atiku, the presidential candidate of the AC, who spoke after the sitting of the tribunal, said that the party was set to pursue its case at the tribunal.
He said, 'I have confidence in the tribunal. INEC is only trying to delay proceedings here. INEC can only run, it cannot hide. INEC is trying to delay the course of justice. It cannot be denied. We are ready for this case. I am sure the tribunal is ready too."
At the sitting of the tribunal on Thursday, the electoral body filed a preliminary objection to application filed by Atiku's counsel, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, to interrogate the INEC chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, on some issues.
Atiku wanted Iwu to provide answers to how it awarded contract for the supply of materals used for the April 2007 election and how it circulated the election materials nationwide.
INEC's objection could not be heard on Thursday because Atiku's counsel said he got a copy of the objection late last Wednesday.
Before Atiku's case was heard at the tribunal Thursday, counsel to Buhari, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), said he had so far made about 50,000 copies of the document he asked for from INEC to pursue his case at the tribunal.