Group wants tribunal to nullify Buhari’s victory

A pressure group, Fight Against Corruption Advocates, has urged the presidential election petition tribunal to nullify the 2019 presidential election that returned President Muhammadu Buhari as president.

The group in its statement signed by Azi Olalekun Omololi said it resolved to “this call following EU observers report on the 2019 election which clearly indicted INEC and proves that INEC was un-transparent.”

“Atiku’s Evidence at the tribunal clearly confirm that the 2019 presidential polls was rigged and Buhari’s inability to provide his certificate disqualify him automatically,” Omololi said.

Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate Atiku Abubakar lost to Buhari in the presidential election held on February 23. In the final tally announced the Independent National Electoral Commission Buhari polled 15, 191, 847 votes while Abubakar got 11, 262, 978 votes.

Abubakar rejected the results and vowed to seek redress at the tribunal. He described the election as a “sham” and queried the figures announced by INEC.

Abubakar and PDP claimed they got access to an alleged central server which housed the results of the poll electronically transmitted by the INEC during the poll. INEC denied the claims.

Abubakar stated that by the figures obtained from the alleged INEC’s server showed that they won the presidential election.

Based on the figures allegedly obtained from the server, Atiku said he scored 18,356,732 votes as against those of Buhari, who he said polled 16,741,430 votes.

FACA said the alleged “corrupt acts by INEC, APC and Buhari” is enough for the election to be nullified.

“We therefore call on our Judiciary which is the last hope of the common man to do the needful,” the group said.

Another case filed by Abubakar in his petition was based on Buhari’s academic qualification. He alleged that Buhari failed to tender his academic certificates.

“Buhari resorted to the use of fundamental falsehood to secure clearance from INEC to participate in the February 23 poll and consequently should be disqualified,” Atiku’s media aide Paul Ibe said in a statement in August.

A similar thought was also shared by the group. It said it is shocking that “No provisional certificate, no CTC of the certificates, no photocopy of certificates and in fact no electronic version of any of the certificates was presented by Buhari throughout the hearing of the petition to dispute claim of the petitioners.”

On Monday Supreme Court dismissed a suit also calling for Buhari’s disqualification because of his certificate. Justice Mary Odili, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the case was statute-barred.

FACA said it has launched “#NULLIFY2019PRESIDENTIALPOLLS on the grounds that Buhari gave false information on oath to deceive Nigerians and to secure unlawful qualification for the election.”

It said it will take to the street with a five million-man match including Nigeria music stars, Nollywood stars and international activists to protest against the ruling.