By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
The Hope Democratic Party(HDP), one of the parties, seeking the nullification of the 2019 election that produced President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, closes it case at the tribunal.
The party and its presidential candidate, Ambrose Owuru, in their argument claimed the government allegedly postponed the election “illegally”, closed their case after calling one witness.
In the motion dated June 17, the petitioners to invoke its powers and order the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, to within 48 hours, swear Owuru in to replace Buhari based on the outcome of the referendum purportedly conducted by Citizens Observers Referendum/Election Right Protection of Nigeria.
Also before the tribunal as evidence are Certified True Copies of Newspaper publications, report of the referendum and the final list of presidential candidates the INEC, released before the February 23 presidential poll.
The documents were admitted as evidence and marked as exhibit P1 to P10.
Earlier, the witness, Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim, maintained that they defeated President Buhari at a referendum they said held on February 16.
The witness said he was one of the people that participated in the February 16, referendum.
Under cross-examination, by counsel to APC, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, if the referendum was celestial or something that happened in the spiritual realm, the witness said: “It was a physical one and not spiritual.”
Asked why he did not attach to his statement on oath, any document to back the claim that Owuru won the said referendum with over 50million votes, the witness said the evidence was with their lawyer.
After Mr Ibrahim testimony, counsel to the HDP, Eze Nnanyelugo, informed the tribunal of their second witness, Annah Pater, who is on subpoena.
Mr Nnanyelugo, however, could not provide the court with copies of the witness’ statement on oath, thr development that forced him to withdraw the subpoenaed witness.
Consequent to the above, the part applied to close their case with the lone witness.
Meantime, the tribunal has fixed August 5 for adoption of final addresses by all the parties.
President Buhari, INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC are mentioned as respondents in the petition.
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