INEC closes defence in Atiku’s petition with one witness

•Tinubu open defence Tuesday

By Vivian Okejeme

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) called one witness that testified in the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
At the resumed proceeding Monday, INEC tendered four documentary exhibits in evidence, which includes a letter dated July 6, 2022, which the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, wrote to notify it of his decision to withdraw as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Borno Central Senatorial election.
Led in evidence by INEC’s lead counsel, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, the witness, Mr Lawrence Bayode, who is a Deputy Director of ICT at the Commission, tendered the letter and its accompanying certification, which was admitted in evidence and marked as Exhibits RA-1 and RA-2.
Under cross-examination by counsel to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Olanipekun, SAN, the witness, insisted that the presidential election held on February 25, was “free, fair, credible and conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.”
The witness also told counsel to APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the witness said that the technical glitch that was experienced on election day did not affect the actual scores of all the presidential candidates, which he said remained intact.
He further told the court that the results of the presidential election were not electronically collated, saying it was done manually.
“INEC does not have an electronic collation system,” he insisted, adding that INEC had few days to the presidential poll, and announced that electronic transmission of results of the election would not be feasible.
However, while being cross-examined by counsel to the Petitioners, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the witness told the court that the European Union, EU, Observation Mission was accredited by INEC to monitor the 2023 general elections.

Also, the lead counsel to Tinubu, informed the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, it’s readiness to open his defence to petitions seeking to nullify his clients election, on Tuesday.