Tribunal admits EU’s report to nullify Tinubu’s victory

Efforts by President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC to stop the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from tendering the final report of the European Union, EU, Observation Mission, which faulted the outcome of 2023 general elections on Monday were not successful.

The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja admitted in evidence the EU’s report, following the submission by Atiku Abubakar who alleged that the presidential election that held on February 25, was manipulated to favour President Tinubu and the ruling APC. 

At the resumed proceedings of the court, Abubakar alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, installed a third-party device that intercepted and allocated votes to Tinubu.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had denied all the allegations made by the Atiku.

Specifically, the Deputy Director of ICT at the Commission, Mr. Lawrence Bayode, mounted the witness box to defend the outcome of the presidential poll. 

Being cross-examined by President Tinubu’s lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Bayode maintained that the presidential election was “free, fair, credible and conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.”

He told the court that images captured by the BVAS, whether transmitted manually or electronically, would not affect the integrity of an election. 

“In practical terms, election is completed at the polling unit level when the officer conducts, announces results and record the result on the Form EC8A,” said Bayode.

Consequently, counsel to President Tinubu and Vice-President Shettima, Chief Olanipekun, SAN, announced that his clients would open their own defence on Tuesday.