The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of fighting a proxy war for the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, on the drug and dual citizenship allegations against him.
Atiku told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that, by doing so, the electoral body had abandoned its role as a neutral umpire.
Lead counsel to Atiku, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), was responding to the applications by INEC to dismiss his petition against the return of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress(APC) as the winner of the February 25 election and to strike out some certain paragraphs of the petition.
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INEC had, through its counsel at Friday’s proceedings, Mr Kemi Pinhero SAN, moved a motion on notice praying the court to strike out some of the allegations Atiku made against Tinubu in his petition.
The commission specifically urged the tribunal to strike out 32 allegations made against Tinubu by Atiku, which, among others, comprised forfeiture of $460, 000 Dollars in the United States of America (USA), possession of Guinea’s Passport, and allegiance to foreign countries.
Atiku had, in the petition, challenged the declaration of Tinubu and the APC as the joint winner of the February 25 Presidential election.
INEC said that the allegations which formed 32 paragraphs in Atiku’s petition should be discountenanced by the court for various reasons, including lack of jurisdiction.
But Atiku, in a counter affidavit, asked the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that INEC had no duty to defend Tinubu but to remain neutral and defend only allegations bordering on the conduct of the disputed election.
“INEC ought not be here to fight the battle of Tinubu. INEC ought to be neutral and, at best, defend only the election it conducted, and which is the subject of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s petition,” Atiku said.
