Atiku, PDP to close case challenging Tinubu’s election Thursday

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his party will close their case on the petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 election at the presidential election petition tribunal on Thursday.

The petitioners, according to a pre-hearing report, were expected to close their case on Tuesday.

However, at the resumed hearing of the petition, the petitioner’s lead counsel, Mr. Chris Uche (SAN) told the panel that his clients lost two days out of the days allotted to them and prayed the court to allow them two more days.

The tribunal agreed with Uche because one of the days lost was the June 12 holiday.

He also told the panel it was still difficult to get Certified True Copies (CTC) of documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Getting documents from INEC is like asking your opponents for weapons,” the counsel stated.

The petitioners, according to him, had asked INEC for Form EC8A series for all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory but had gotten only 14 batches so far.

Uche added: “These are forms EC8A series from the 35 states and we will start with Abia, and after tendering it, all parties will come together to ensure that they are sorted out properly.”

This, however, did not go down well with the panel and other counsel.

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