TRIBUNAL: PDP Witnesses Admit Atiku Did Not Score 25% Votes In FCT But Say INEC Ought Not To Declare Tinubu Winner

The People’s Democratic Party on Monday fielded more witnesses before the Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting in Abuja, with two of them admitting that the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar did not score 25 percent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory.

The petitioners’ witness told the court that if President Bola Tinubu who did not score 25 percent of votes in FCT, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, was sworn-in, Atiku ought to be sworn-in having allegedly scored majority of lawful votes cast in the entire election.

Between May 30 when the PEPC commenced hearing to June 3, the PDP presented six state collation agents as witnesses before the court.

They all alleged electoral irregularities in the 2023 presidential election and were subjected to cross-examination by the lawyers representing the Independent National Electoral Commission, president Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress.

The petitioners have also tendered as evidence, the 2023 Presidential Election Results, INEC Forms EC8A (which is the summary of presidential election results) and Form EC8E series for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, INEC certified documents in respect of number of PVCs collected for 2023 presidential election and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS machine-printed report for the 36 states, including FCT.

Other documents tendered are additional Forms EC8A as downloaded by INEC (for 17 local government of Abia state and INEC authentication certificate), Forms EC8As for Bayelsa, Kaduna, Ogun states, certified true copies of Forms EC8Es from Kaduna and Kogi state.

When the court resumed hearing on Monday, PDP counsel, Eyitayo Jegede SAN announced he has 4 witnesses for today.

The Chairman of PDP in FCT, Mohammed Babaji Madaki, announced himself as the (eight) witness.

INEC, citing the witness’ statement on oath, asked him if it was his opinion that for a candidate to be returned as president, he must also get 25 percent of votes in the FCT?

“No. It is not my opinion,” the witness replied.

“Did your candidate, Atiku score 25 percent of votes in FCT?” INEC’s counsel, A.B. Mahmoud SAN asked to which the witness replied “No, he did

Asked if Atiku was entitled to be returned as president having not scored 25 percent of votes in FCT, the witness said no.

Asked to confirm if PDP party agents signed the collated results, he replied “Yes sir.”

APC’s lawyer, Akin Olujimi SAN, asked the witness if his statement was prepared by him.

He said he wrote it and his lawyers went through it before it was deposed to before the court.

Pressed further by the APC lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN on if he thinks FCT is like other states in Nigeria.

The witness agreed in the affirmative.

“What is the meaning of conscientiously which you mentioned in your statement?” Fagbemi asked him.

“I cannot remember, honestly,” the witness said.

Under cross examination by INEC, the ninth witness, FCT State Collation agent, Abraham David, told the court that Atiku scored 15 percent of votes in FCT.