Tinubu's Lawyers Argue Against Atiku's Petition, Describe Claims as "Repetitions, Contradictions, and Confusion"

President Bola Tinubu's lawyers have filed a final written address arguing that Atiku Abubakar's petition challenging his victory in the presidential election is baseless. According to Tinubu's lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, Atiku failed to provide substantial evidence to support his claims of electoral fraud. Atiku's petition, which was jointly filed with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accused Nigeria's electoral commission, INEC, of manipulating the election in favor of Tinubu. However, Olanipekun argued that Atiku's claims are weak and lack substance.

Key Takeaways:

• Atiku and PDP's petition challenging Tinubu's victory in the presidential election is based on "repetitions, contradictions, and confusion," according to Tinubu's lawyers.
• The petitioners failed to provide substantial evidence to support their claims of electoral fraud.
• Atiku's lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, argued that the petitioners' witnesses were unreliable and their testimonies were hearsay.
• Tinubu's lawyers highlighted the fact that a majority of Atiku's witnesses admitted in their testimonies that the actual results in the respective polling units were transferred to the ward collation centers, through to the local government collation centers, state collation centers, and the national collation center.
• The lawyers also pointed out that the petitioners did not deny the fact that it is the actual results in the respective polling units that were transferred to the ward collation centers, through to the local government collation centers, state collation centers, and the national collation center.
• Tinubu's lawyers argued that Atiku's witnesses were unable to provide a clear answer to the question of how many votes were added to or deducted from the respective parties.
• The court will fix a date for adoption and closing arguments after all parties, including INEC and APC, have finished exchanging their final written addresses.

Statistics:

• 8,794,721: The number of votes cast for Tinubu in the presidential election.
• 6,984,520: The number of votes cast for Atiku in the presidential election.
• 6,101,533: The number of votes cast for Peter Obi in the presidential election.
• 1 March: The date on which INEC declared Tinubu the winner of the presidential election.
• 29 May: The date on which Tinubu was inaugurated as Nigeria's 16th president.

Sources:

• "President Bola Tinubu says Atiku Abubakar's petition challenging his victory at the 25 February presidential election is fraught with 'repetitions, contradictions and confusion.'" - Mr Tinubu's lawyers, filed on behalf of the President with regards to Atiku's petition at the presidential election court.
• "Atiku and the PDP jointly filed the petition at the court, accusing Nigeria's electoral commission, INEC, of manipulating the entire election in favor of Mr Tinubu." - The petition filed by Atiku and the PDP.
• "However in his final written address marking the end of the legal proceedings, Mr Tinubu's lawyer, Mr Olanipekun, argued that Atiku failed to substantiate his claims of electoral fraud against the president." - Mr Olanipekun's final written address.
• "Atiku had contended that Mr Tinubu did not garner the highest number of lawful votes cast during the February election." - Atiku's contention.
• "Mr Olanipekun described the petitioners contention on the issue of "substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the constitution and Electoral Act" as "flimsy." - Mr Olanipekun's description.
• "Weighing in on the strength of Atiku's witnesses, Mr Olanipekun said their testimonies were a collection of "hearsay."" - Mr Olanipekun's statement.
• "Without fear of contradiction, the petitioners have no single witness whose evidence could be described as useful or manageable to their case." - Mr Olanipekun's statement.
• "Mr Olanipekun, in the court filings, said Mr Bamidele, a senator and a lawyer, demonstrated "undoubted competence" in his evidence concerning the issues before the court." - Mr Olanipekun's statement about Mr Bamidele's testimony.
• "During his testimony, Mr Bamidele informed the court that the electoral umpire was at liberty to choose its mode transmission of poll results." - Mr Bamidele's testimony.
• "On 1 March, INEC declared Mr Tinubu winner of the presidential election." - INEC's declaration.
• "He was subsequently inaugurated on 29 May as Nigeria's 16th president." - Tinubu's inauguration.