Atiku vs Buhari: HDP Makes ‘Huge Demand’ From Tribunal In Fresh Motion

The presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Ambrose Owuru, has prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, to nullify the February 23 presidential election that produced Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s President for a second term.

Naija News reports that the party made this demand in a fresh motion filed HDP’s counsel, Ezechukwu Ifeanyi.

In the motion, HDP told the tribunal that the February 23 presidential election was unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.

The HDP Presidential candidate stressed that the election was unknown to law and should be invalidated by the tribunal.

Owuru argued that the “postponement of the election from February 16 to 23 had no backing of any law as no cogent and verifiable reason required by law were advanced for the postponement.”

He noted that the election was never validly held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and cannot produce any valid result or returns recognisable by law.

Owuru, who admitted that INEC has powers under section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010, insisted that “no cogent and verifiable reason were produced by the electoral body to postpone the February 16 election and thereby rendered the February 23 election a nullity under the same law.”

The presidential candidate said since INEC breached the provisions of the Electoral Act especially section 26 to conduct the February 23 poll, the “election cannot stand in the eyes of the law.”

Owuru prayed for an order compelling “INEC to produce at the tribunal notice of election, original timetable for February 16, the press statement of February 16 as well as minutes of meeting where the decision to postpone the February 16 presidential election was held.”

The HDP Presidential candidate also prayed that the “return of President Buhari for a second term in office on account of February 23 election be invalidated and set aside because the election has no force of law.”

Meanwhile, Naija News understands that Owuru and HDP had earlier filed a petition marked: CA/PETP/001/2019 asking the tribunal to nullify the election that brought Buhari to office.