INEC calls witness against Atiku, PDP's petition

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its defence against the petition of Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the presidential election petition court in Abuja on Monday, July 3.

According to The Nation, the electoral body called its first witness against the petition filed by the PDP and its presidential candidate against the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), counsel to INEC, called Dr Lawrence Bayode, who said he was an Information Technology (IT) Practitioner at INEC.

Bayode, led in evidence by Mahmoud, disclosed that he had worked with the commission for 24 years and adopted his written deposition on April 11, which stated that the court should accept his testimony in the case.

Mahmoud further presented, through the witness, a copy of a cloud trail log and a certificate that accompanied it in connection with the glitches reportedly that happened to INEC's server during the election.

The SAN earlier tendered from the Bar a certified true copy of the letter dated July 6, 2022, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and acknowledged by INEC.

Then, there was an argument on how the evidences would be adopted for cross examination of the witness.