Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 election, Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday debunked the claim credited to the spokesman of the presidency to the effect that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal ruling on Monday on the issue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server was in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, the former vice president said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement from Aso Rock Villa, wherein spokesperson for General Muhammadu Buhari praised the ruling of the Presidential Election Tribunal, which ‘rejected’ the request by the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and the People’s Democratic Party, to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to grant access to their server used for the 2019 presidential election.”
The tribunal had on Monday rejected the request by Atiku and the PDP to compel INEC to allow them access to the server used for the 2019 presidential election.
“After praising the so-called ‘landmark ruling’, the statement went on to claim that ‘the existence of a purported server is being contested and if a purported inspection had been allowed at this stage, it would have amounted to the determination that it indeed existed even when its existence is being contested’,” Atiku said in the statement.
He noted that his response and that of the PDP is to “plead vindication of our case that not only did Atiku Abubakar win the February 23, 2019 elections, but that the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari lacks executive temperament and capacity as we will now establish”.
In a related development, the controversy over the existence or otherwise of a server in the INEC assumed a new dimension on Tuesday as the PDP accused the electoral body of colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to distort facts on the matter.
A statement by the PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said “an amorphous group parading as Forum of Presidential Candidates of the 2019 Elections and National Party Chairmen” had been hurriedly put together by INEC and the APC to misrepresent facts on the issue which is pending before the court.
“This group, our investigation reveals, was hurriedly conjured by leadership of INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to assist them in distorting facts, and making misrepresentations on a matter that are already subjudice, all in their attempt to clean up INEC’s blunders on the existence of the server, sway judicial pronouncements and influence public opinion on extant matters in court,” the statement said.
The PDP invited Nigerians to note that “the press release by this nebulous group emerged after INEC’s several blunders while the Presidency has already admitted that the claim by the PDP and millions of Nigerians that INEC had a server wherein it stored results of the 2019 elections, “constitutes the fulcrum” of contention in the Presidential election”.
In the statement issued by his media adviser, Atiku went ahead to “educate” Buhari’s spokespersons on what Monday’s judgment actually says.
“The request by Atiku Abubakar and the People’s Democratic Party to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission was NOT rejected. What the honourable Tribunal said is that it is still at preliminary stages and the main case HAS NOT begun and that the matter of granting access to inspect the INEC server is not relevant to the preliminary stages. It is a matter to be adjudicated upon when the case proper is being heard,” the statement said.
As such, the statement said, it was too early for the Buhari administration to celebrate.
“Their giddiness has even blinded them to the eye witness testimony given to multiple media in interviews by staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission that there is indeed a server and that they actually submitted results and accreditation through it.
“In their rush to claim a Pyrrhic victory, the General Buhari administration missed out the fact that the 2019 budget has multiple line items for procurement, maintenance and service of the server they claim does not exist,” it said.
Atiku’s statement said the purported statement from the presidential spokesperson “tried to spin the recent verdict on the election passed by the EU election observers”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, what the EU report said is that the 2019 elections had SIGNIFICANT defects and fell short of the 2015 elections. It should be noted that one of the issues they raised is the attempt to muzzle not just the media, but more importantly, the judiciary.
“In light of this, we remind those who are gloating in their ignorance that ‘he who laughs last, laughs best’. The last has not been heard of this matter and we eagerly anticipate the ACTUAL ruling of the Tribunal when the case proper begins,” Atiku added in the statement.
INNOCENT ODOH & OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
