President Bola Tinubu has responded to the claims made by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the ongoing case against him. Atiku, who ran as the presidential candidate for the PDP, is contesting the results of the February 25 election and seeking to nullify Tinubu's victory.
One of the main issues raised in the joint petition is that Tinubu was not eligible to run for office. Atiku and the PDP alleged that Tinubu had a history of drug trafficking in the United States, submitted forged academic certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and was even claimed to be a citizen of Guinea. The petitioners also accused INEC of manipulating the election in favor of Tinubu.
During the proceedings, the petitioners called 27 witnesses to support their claims. However, in Tinubu's final written address, his lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, argued that all 27 witnesses failed to provide useful or substantial evidence to back their case. Olanipekun referred to their testimonies as a “panoply of hearsay, admissions against interest, and irrelevancies.”
On the other hand, Tinubu's only witness, Opeyemi Bamidele, who is a US practicing attorney and counselor at law, was praised for his competence and ability to discredit the claims made by the petitioners. Bamidele provided significant insights on various subjects related to the case, including the US proceedings and electoral legislation, as he had participated in the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Based on the arguments presented in the final address, Tinubu requested the court to dismiss the petition, as he deemed it lacking in merit and substance. He further accused the petitioners of abusing the court process by presenting non-existent documents sourced from the internet after filing the petition.
The court's decision will be eagerly awaited, as it will determine the validity of the allegations made against President Bola Tinubu and the outcome of the election challenge brought forward by Atiku and the PDP.
