Presidential Poll: Atiku, PDP Seek Tribunal’s Order to Inspect INEC Register *CUPP accuses Buhari of plot to scuttle Atiku's election petition

*Says Turaki's arrest aimed at derailing process



The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
the February 23 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his party on
Tuesday in Abuja, commenced legal process challenging the victory of
President Muhamadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at
the polls.

The plaintiffs filed an exparte motion at the Court of Appeal in
Abuja, venue of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

In the motion, Atiku and the PDP are praying for an order compelling
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow them
inspect the voter’ register and other vital documents used in the
conduct of the election.

This is coming as the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP)
again raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by President Muhammadu
Buhari and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to use
all means to  frustrate the  efforts of the PDP presidential
candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to retrieve what it described as is his
stolen mandate at the Election  Tribunal where the former vice
president filed his case on Tuesday.

INEC had declared President Buhari and his party, APC, winner of the
February 23 poll, having scored  a total of 15, 191, 847 as against
11, 262, 978 by Atiku and the PDP.

Dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election, the former
vice president and his party vowed to approach the election petition
tribunal to ventilate their grievances as well as reclaim their
alleged stolen mandate.

Consequently, the plaintiffs on Tuesday filed an exparte motion at the
Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the Presidential Election Petition
Tribunal.
In the motion, Atiku and the PDP are praying for an order compelling
INEC to allow them Inspect the voter’ register and other vital
documents used in the conduct of the election.

Respondents in the motion exparte dated March 4 and filed March 5
include INEC, President Muhamadu Buhari and the All Progressives
Congress (APC).

The motion filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Chris
Uche is praying the tribunal to compel the electoral body to allow
their agents to scan and make photocopies of vital documents used in
the last presidential election for the purpose of proving their case
at the tribunal.

The application, according to our findings, is supported with a 12-
paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd.),
Director of Contact and Mobilisation for the Atiku Abubakar
Presidential Campaign Council.

Both Atiku and the PDP are claiming that they won the presidential
election but were short changed by INEC during the collation and
announcement of the results.

However, no date has been fixed for hearing of the motion.

When our correspondent visited the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division
serving as the presidential election petition tribunal, a functional
registry and Secretariat have been opened for the purpose of receiving
petitions from aggrieved presidential candidates against the last
presidential election.

However, the CUPP Tuesday raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by
President Muhammadu Buhari and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to use all means to  frustrate the  efforts of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar,
to retrieve what they believe is his stolen mandate at the Election
Tribunal where the former vice president had planned to file his case
on Tuesday  March 5, 2019.