President Muhammadu Buhari has claimed that he is more qualified academically that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election.
Okay Nigeria gathered that Buhari made this statement while responding to petition filed by Atiku and the PDP challenging his victory at the 2019 presidential election.
The presidential candidate of the PDP had filed a petition at the Tribunal claiming that he won the election held in February with 18,356,732 votes to defeat Buhari, who, according to him, polled 16,741,430 votes.
However, INEC declared that Buhari polled 15,191,847, while Atiku secured 11,262,978 votes.
A team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun, while responding to the petitioned filed by Atiku, PDP, stated that the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate was not qualified to contest the election, challenging him to provide his educational certificates indicating the schools attended by him with dates.
The response reads:
“He (Buhari) did not, at any time, provide any false information in the Form CF001 submitted to the 1st respondent, either in 2014 or 2018.”
“The affidavit of compliance to the 2019 Form CF001 was correct in every material particular.
“In filling Form CF001 in 2014 and 2019, respondent was not oblivious of the constitutional qualifications stipulated in Section 131 of the Constitution and interpreted in Section 318 of the same Constitution.
“Petitioners themselves are also not oblivious of the fact that respondent possesses far more than the constitutional threshold expected for a candidate contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The respondent avers that he is far more qualified, both constitutionally and educationally, to contest and occupy the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria than the 1st petitioner (Atiku); and that in terms of educational qualifications, trainings and courses attended, both within and outside Nigeria, he is head and shoulder above the 1st petitioner in terms of acquisition of knowledge, certificates, laurels, medals and experience.
“Respondent states further that it is the 1st petitioner, who is not qualified to contest the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and challenges the educational credentials and certificates of the 1st petitioner.
“1st petitioner is hereby given notice to produce and tender his educational certificates, indicating the schools attended by him, with dates.”
Olanipekun then urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by Atiku on grounds that lacked jurisdiction to hear.
He then called on the candidate of the PDP to provide evidence of manipulated results as he claims.
Its states:
“The entire reliefs are not justifiable, as the petitioners, who claim to have scored majority of lawful votes in substantial number of states, are also questioning their own return in those states.”
“The petitioners cannot act as petitioners and respondents in the same petition.The alternative relief sought is self-defeating, apart from being frivolous.
“The election to the office of President on 23rd February, 2019, was conducted in substantial compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).”
Okay Nigeria reported that Atiku published evidence backing the results he recovered from INEC server.
