Nigeria’s Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, on Wednesday, reserved its judgment on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the February 23, 2019 poll.
The five-man tribunal led by Justice Mohammed Garba announced this after listening to the final arguments of the parties to the case.
Justice Garba said the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties through their lawyers.
“Judgment in this petition is hereby reserved and will be delivered on the date to be sent to counsel for the parties,” Justice Garba said.
At the Wednesday’s hearing the petitioners, through their lead counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu SAN, urged the court to uphold their case by either declaring them the winner of the election or order a fresh one.
But the respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Yunus Usman SAN, Buhari, whose legal team was led by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, and the All Progressives Congress represented by Lateef Fagbemi SAN – urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.
The petitioners had called 62 witnesses to prove their case.
Buhari called seven witnesses in his defence while the INEC and the APC did not call any.