Atiku Abubakar, the People`s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, has requested the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to announce him as the winner or order a rerun between him and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Alternatively, he called for the entire election invalidated and a new one held.
The aforementioned, are the crucial reliefs being desired in the case brought before him and the PDP at the PEPC secretariat on Tuesday night by their team of lawyers led by Joe Gadzama. (SAN).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu, and his All Progressives Congress party are listed as respondents in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023 (APC).
The election is being challenged by Atiku and the PDP on four grounds which are;
*The election of the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) is invalid by reason of noncompliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
* The selection of the second respondent Is null and void due to unethical practices.
* The 2nd respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the polls.
* The second respondent was not eligible to vote at the election date.
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Atiku and the PDP are praying to the court for the following:
* That it may be ascertained that the 2nd respondent was not lawfully chosen by a sufficient number of legitimate votes cast in the election, resulting in the proclamation and return of the 2nd respondent as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25th, 2023 by the 1st respondent is unconstitutional, null and void, without any impact whatsoever.
* That it be resolved that the 1st respondent’s return of the 2nd respondent was unconscionable, null, and void for having failed to satisfy the criteria of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which stipulates that the 2nd Respondent attain a minimum one-quarter (25%) of the legitimate votes cast at the ballot across at least two-thirds of the votes cast in all states that comprise the federation and Abuja, the federal capital territory.
* That this could be ascertained that the second respondent was not eligible for election at the time of the polls.
*That it may be determined that the 1st petitioner be returned as the winner of the said election and be sworn in as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria having scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the Presidential election of Saturday, 25th February 2023.
In the alternative,
*An order pointing the 1st respondent to carry out a second election (run-off) between the 1st petitioner and the 2nd respondent.
In a further alternative, *That a fresh election (re-run) ordered consequently nullifying the election to the office of the President of Nigeria held on 25th February.
