By Daniel Edu
Former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has made a bold assertion before the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, urging them to recognize his victory in the presidential election by claiming that he won in 21 states.
Atiku’s claim is based on the response filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in response to his petition challenging the election of President Bola Tinubu.
At the heart of Atiku’s argument is the fact that INEC did not dispute or deny his claim of victory in the states he listed in its final brief of argument. According to Atiku, this silence on INEC’s part serves as an admission of the validity of his claim.
The states listed by Atiku where he claims to have emerged victorious are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Atiku’s legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, presented his final written address to the court, highlighting INEC’s admission of his victories in the stated regions during the election.
Additionally, Atiku accused INEC of manipulating the election results, suppressing his votes, inflating Tinubu’s votes, and disregarding the use of prescribed verification technology, which allegedly affected the election’s outcome nationwide.
In light of these contentions, Atiku is asking the presidential tribunal to declare him the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, challenging the legitimacy of President Bola Tinubu’s victory.
As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome of the case will determine the course of the nation’s leadership and political landscape.
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