Reject Atiku’s BVAS exhibits - Tinubu, INEC tell tribunal

The Presidential Election Petitions Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted a total of 337 exhibits tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the emergence of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

At the resumed hearing in the matter, the PDP and Atiku, through their legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), informed the court that the documents in evidence were in respect of 33 states of the federation, with the exclusion of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Lagos states.

Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission, said it was also opposed to the admissibility of the documents but for the printout of data from BVAS it deployed to three states – Kogi, Sokoto and Rivers.

In a similar vein, the APC opposed the documents in evidence.

Furthermore, INEC’s team of lawyers led by Kemi Pinhero, SAN, opposed the admissibility of the downloaded results just as other respondents raised objections.

However, the five-man panel of the PEPC headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani admitted the documents from the BVAS and marked them as Exhibits PT 1 to PT 33.

The tribunal admitted a total of 337 exhibits tendered by the PDP and Atiku.

Meanwhile, the tribunal, earlier in the day, adjourned till June 1, the hearing of the petition by Labour party and its candidate, Peter Obi against Tinubu.

The adjournment was at the instance of the LP legal team, led by Chief Awa Kalu (SAN), who informed the court that two key members of the team were ill and could not make it to court.

Kalu said, “My Lords, our plan for today’s proceedings was to start with the presentation of our documents, but unfortunately, we had some unexpected development.

“The unexpected development concerns the sudden illness of two of our key staff, for which reason I am constrained to ask for an adjournment till tomorrow (Thursday).

“It is with the greatest humility and apology that we make this application.

“I assure My Lords that we will be here tomorrow morning and we will proceed with vigour.”

Justice Haruna Tsammani granted the application and adjourned the petition till Thursday (today).