How Buhari, INEC, APC failed to scuttle judgment on Atiku’s application

• As Tribunal fixes July 3 for ruling

It was a mild drama at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal on resumption of sitting on Tuesday after Counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Levi Uzoukwu SAN, had adopted his written address on an application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, seeking to set aside the proceedings of June 11th, 2019.

National Daily learned that Counsel to President Muhammadu Buhari, Wale Olanipekun SAN, had raised objection, requesting the tribunal to throw out the application, arguing that proceedings on the matter have been transmitted to the Supreme Court.

National Daily further gathered that the president’s counsel was reinforced by counsels to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) who also objected to the application.

Counsel to APC, Lateef Fagbemi, was said to submitting to the argument of the president’s counsel, contended that the tribunal can still look at the application but cannot grant it because the law is settled that if a preliminary objection is filed and not argued, it is deemed to have been abandoned.

National Daily, however, gathered that at the end the ruling on the application could not be scuttled. The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal after taking the briefs and submissions of the counsels, insisted on delivering judgment on the application brought by the PDP and Atiku Abubakar, seeking to set aside the proceedings of June 11, 2019 on Wednesday, July 3.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mohammed Garba, had observed that the ruling will determine the next step in the proceedings.