Presidential election tribunal reserves judgement in HDP’s petition

The presidential election petition tribunal has said it will decide on the petition brought by the Hope Democratic Party on a date to be communicated to those involved.

The tribunal made the decision on Monday after entertaining final arguments from parties in the petition.

The Hope Democratic Party had asked the tribunal to nullify the February 23 general elections following allegations that the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari connived with the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, to frustrate the voting rights of Nigerians.

According to the HDP, the decision by INEC to reschedule elections, shortly before the earlier agreed time, on February 16, was unconstitutional and liable to ensuring the nullification of the elections.

The HDP reiterated its arguments at the hearing on Monday, that a referendum was conducted following the cancellation of elections on February 16.

According to the HDP, it’s candidate, Ambrose Owuru, emerged winner of the referendum and should be returned elected as President of Nigeria.

Responding, Mr Buhari, through his lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, described the petition as frivolous and lacking in merit.

Also in a reaction, INEC’s lawyer, Yunus Usman, urged the court to award cost to the applicants for presenting what he described as a misleading allegation.

The petition by the HDP is one of four complaints earlier filed at the tribunal to contest Mr Buhari’s re-election.

The other three were brought by the Coalition for Change (C4C), the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While the petitions by the C4C and the PDM have been withdrawn, that of the PDP is still before the tribunal, with parties expected to make their final addresses on the matter, August 20.