Atiku vs Buhari: Tribunal Fixes August 21 To Take Important Decision

Presidential Tribunal Fixes Date For Adoption Of Written Address

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has fixed a date to adopt the final written addresses of parties in the petition before it on the 2019 presidential election in Nigeria.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar are challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress in the Feb.23 election.

The Tribunal on Thursday, 1st August, fixed August 21 for parties to adopt their written addresses.

The date was given by the tribunal chairman, Justice Mohammed Garba after Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN and Chief Lateef Fabgemi, SAN, Counsel to Buhari and the APC respectively on Thursday requested the tribunal’s permission to close their defence which was granted.

Before closing their defence, Naija News reports Buhari’s legal team presented seven witnesses and tendered 18 exhibits while the APC refused to present witnesses.

Fagbemi had also prayed the tribunal to give parties the grace to commence the filing of their addresses on August 5.

NAN reports that the prayer was not objected to and therefore left the chairman of the tribunal with no difficulty in granting it.

“The request for the extension of time for parties to commence the filing of their addresses is hereby granted.

“In the circumstance, parties are given up to August 16 to exchange their addresses preparatory to the adoption of same in August 21,’’ Garba held.

Naija News recalls Atiku and the PDP, the petitioners in the case had on July 20, closed their case after presenting 62 witnesses out of the 400 listed and tendering 33, 233 exhibits which included 48 video clips.