Nigeria’s Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday adjourned to August 21, 2019 for adoption of final arguments in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar challenging the victory of Buhari and the APC at the February 23, 2019, presidential poll.
This position was sequel to the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, the last two respondents to the petition, to close their defence on Thursday.
The other respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission, had earlier closed its case without calling any witness.
Buhari’s legal team which called seven witnesses between Tuesday and Wednesday closed its defence without calling an additional witness on Thursday while the APC’s team also said that it would not call any witness.
The five-man tribunal led by Justice Mohammed Garba subsequently gave the three respondents to file and serve on the petitioners their final written addresses within three days starting from Monday (August 5).
The tribunal gave the petitioners seven days from the time they are served to file and serve on the respondents their final written addresses.
It gave the respondents two days to, if necessary, file their final addresses in reply to the petitioners’ addresses.
Justice Mohammed announced that the final addresses would close on August 16.
He then adjourned to August 21 for the adoption of the final addresses by the lawyers representing the parties in the case.
It is expected that parties would be told to look out for the notice on the date to deliver judgment.