The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, describing it as provocative, barefaced subversion of justice.
In a statement released by Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, PDP said the Tribunal’s verdict is a direct assault on the integrity of Nigeria’s justice system.
Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the PDP had petitioned President Buhari alleging that the latter was not qualified to contest the presidential election for not possessing WASSCE certificate listed in Form 001.
Atiku also alleged that he won the February 23 election by polling the highest number of votes as obtained in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s server.
However, Justice Mohammed Garba who delivered the ruling dismissed all the petitions, saying that Atiku Abubakar and PDP failed to provide enough evidence.
But the PDP told the Tribunal that it is the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari that failed to provide enough evidence.
The statement reads, “The PDP finds as bewildering that a court of law could validate a clear case of perjury and declaration of false information in a sworn affidavit, as firmly established against President Muhammadu Buhari, even in the face of incontrovertible evidence.
“The party is also rudely shocked that the Court took over the roles of the Respondents’ lawyers who clearly abandoned their pleadings by refusing to call evidence in defense of the petition.
“The court raked up all manner of excuses to make up for the yawning gaps occasioned by the total absence of any evidence from the Respondents.
“Nigerians and the international community watched in utter disbelief when the tribunal ruled that one need not provide a copy or certified true copy of educational certificate such individual claimed to possess, contrary to established proof of claims of certification.
“The party notes as strange that the court even went ahead to provide rationalizations in favour of President Buhari, even when all hard facts before it shows that he did not possess the claimed educational certificate and that the Army was not in possession of his WAEC certificate as claimed in the affidavit he deposed to in his Presidential nomination form.
“The PDP also described as shocking that the court approved the flawed declaration of President Buhari as the winner of the election despite evidence to show the perpetration of illegalities, manipulations, alterations and subtraction of valid votes freely given to Atiku Abubakar by Nigerians.
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