The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) on Thursday produced a 55 carton documents in response to the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal’s order of the submission of the election’s documents at the instance of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, ahead of Friday’s sitting when the petitioners are expected to close their case.
The petitioners are, by their petition, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress at the February 23 poll.
The tribunal of five judges chaired by Justice Mohammed Garba had on Wednesday ordered INEC to produce the documents by noon on Thursday.
The tribunal had on Wednesday adjourned the case till Friday, but the counsel for the PDP and Atiku, Chris Uche (SAN), attended the Thursday’s proceedings scheduled for hearing in respect of other petitions filed by the Hope Democratic Party and the Peoples Democratic Movement.
At about the time the five-man panel was to recede to chambers to write a ruling in respect of PDM’s petition, Uche informed the bench of his intention in court which was to ensure INEC’s compliance with the Wednesday’s order of the tribunal.
In reaction, Justice Garba asked for update from INEC’s lawyer, Yunus Usman (SAN), who informed the tribunal that the “documents had been substantially produced.” He also noted that it was a very tedious task room and that the request by the petitioners for result sheets for the National Assembly rerun election in Zamfara State were not available as no such election was conducted.
