Tribunal: Atiku makes fresh claims against INEC over Tinubu’s drug, dual citizenship offences

The presidential bannerman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Atiku, has told the presidential election petition tribunal in Abuja that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot defend Bola Tinubu's drug-peddling and dual citizenship allegations.

Atiku made this call on Friday, May 19, insisting that the electoral body has no legal rights to defend the president-elect on his eligibility and qualification as a candidate at the presidential polls.

It was gathered that the counsel representing the electoral body, Kemi Pinhero SAN, at the proceedings moved a motion before the court requesting that the court dismiss Atiku's suit against the president-elect.

This suit included forfeiture of $460, 000 Dollars in the United States of America (USA), possession of Guinea's Passport, Allegiance to foreign countries and 29 others.

Meanwhile, Atiku's counsel, Chris Uche SAN, countered the defendant's prayers, stating that the electoral body was in no position to defend Tinubu; instead, they should be neutral about the case.

Uche maintained that the request of INEC in its defence of Tinubu was not only spurious and strange but constituted a gross abuse of the court process in addition to lacking merit.

He said: "INEC ought not be here to fight the battle of Tinubu, INEC ought to be neutral and at best, defend only the election it conducted and which is the subject of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku's petition.

"This application by INEC in support of Tinubu lacks merit. It is grossly incompetent and should be outrightly rejected and thrown to the dustbin."

Shortly after presenting his argument, Atiku's counsel urged the court to dismiss INEC's motion because the electoral body was abusing the court process and lacking competence.

In another development, INEC has kicked against the motion filed by the PDP and Atiku Abubakar to broadcast live the proceeding of the 2023 presidential election petition tribunal.

Atiku and the PDP had filed a motion before the tribunal asking the court to order the live broadcast of the proceedings and the modalities involved.

Defendants to the petition include the INEC, APC, the president and vice-president-elect, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.