Having used up allotted days to argue case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, closed his case before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja.
Recall that Atiku and the PDP are challenging the declaration of Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Atiku, who called a total of 27 witnesses and provided the court with a number of documentary documents, disclosed this through his lead counsel, Chris Uche.
“My lords, at this point in time, may we humbly inform your lordships that this will be our last witness.
“Having exhausted the days allocated to us, pursuant to the pre-hearing report and Paragraph 46(5) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2022, we most humbly apply the formally close the case for the petitioners.”
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Meanwhile, Kemi Pinhero, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s lawyer, told the court that all the parties earlier met and agreed to defer the opening of defence by the respondents till after the impending Sallah celebration.
Head of President Tinubu’s legal team, Wole Olanipekun, confirming the development, begged the court to allow the respondents, starting with the electoral body, to open their defence to Atiku’s petition, from July 3.
“My lords, all of us took into consideration some salient factors, especially the fact that some of us will love to travel to celebrate with our families and loved ones.
“Moreover, there is likely to be a two days public holidays next week. We will therefore plead your lordships to adjourn the case till after the Sallah celebration.
“We also want to assure your lordships that on our part, we will not exceed the days allotted to us.
“We will start and close out case the same week,” Olanipekun added.
