Tribunal: INEC Chairman Responds to Atiku’s Subpoena, Tenders Exhibit Containing Tinubu’s Age

• The request made by PDP flagbearer Atiku Abubakar has been honoured by Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman
• INEC on Thursday, June 15, sent a representative to present certain crucial documents before the Presidential Election Petition Court
• This move came as part of their ongoing legal battle regarding the 2023 poll and a move by the PDP to challenge the February 25 presidential election victory of Bola Tinubu

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has honoured a subpoena served on him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku and the PDP had subpoenaed the INEC chairman to tender some sensitive documents before the presidential election petition court.

INEC present documents as evidence in court

At the court session on Thursday, June 15, Chris Uche, the petitioners’ counsel, told the court that Yakubu is represented by Morenikeji Tahiru, deputy director, certification and complaint, legal drafting and clearance department, The Cable reported.

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Tahiru said she had four out of the 11 documents itemised in the subpoena dated May 26, 2023.

INEC chairman tenders exhibit containing Tinubu’s age

Lastly, the INEC boss, tendered form EC9 which is the INEC form submitted to the commission by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s president, Vanguard reported added.

The document contained President Bola Tinubu’s age. The document, known as Form EC9, was an affidavit of personal particulars that President Tinubu submitted to the INEC in aid of his qualification to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Although Tahiru was called to present the documents, she was not identified as a witness — an act which the respondents’ counsel frowned against.

Abubakar Mahmoud, INEC counsel, opposed the admissibility of the documents in evidence. According to him, “many of those documents are not relevant”.

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“It Has Become a Habit”: INEC issues strong warning to Peter Obi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accused Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of always blaming the electoral body for failing to prosecute their case.

INEC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), said it has become a pattern for Peter Obi and his party to always blame someone whenever they want an adjournment.

Pinheiro stated this while reacting to the claim made by Obi’s lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, declined to accept a subpoena served to him to produce some documents.

President Bola Tinubu speaks on Atiku, Obi’s court cases

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, June 12, said Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)'s Peter Obi approached the court because they disagreed with the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

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President Tinubu stated that his two main opponents “are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions”.

The Nigerian leader also declared democracy as “the best form of government invented by man”.

Source: Legit.ng