Atiku (left) and Buhari (right) were allies in the All Progressives Congress until 2017
ABUJA, Sept 12 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The presidential election petition tribunal, PEPT, in Nigeria has dismissed the poll petition filed by main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku who contested the last polls on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, petitioned against incumbent Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection citing electoral irregularities.
But the tribunal dismissed the challenge by a unanimous decision thereby affirming Buhari’s win.
“The petitioners have a duty to prove all the allegations which are criminal in nature beyond reasonable doubt,” the lead judge said in his ruling.
In upholding Buhari’s election victory, the PEPT ruled that Buhari’s main challenger in the presidential race, Atiku Abubakar had failed to prove allegations of electoral fraud sufficiently.
The tribunal rejected all three of Atiku’s claims: that the election was marred by irregularities, that he received more votes than Buhari and that the president did not have a secondary school certificate, a basic requirement to contest the election.
“This petition is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba said in announcing the ruling.
The five-member panel of justices found that Buhari did have the level of education to contest a presidential election.
In the wake of the election, Atiku alleged that Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC), in connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had stolen the vote.
More than 60 witnesses for the Atiku camp and a handful appear before the tribunal for Buhari.
In disputes over presidential elections in Nigeria, losers have a right to approach the highest court, the Supreme Court. Atiku is widely expected to appeal the tribunal’s ruling.
The official results as announced by the INEC showed Buhari won 15,191,847 votes, to Atiku’s 11,262,978. — NNN-AFRICANEWS
