President Goodluck Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo have asked the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
In a joint reply, Jonathan and Sambo described the petition as baseless, vague and an afterthought as all the allegations contained in it were frivolous, scandalous and unsupportable in law and in fact.
The reply was signed by 10 Senior Advocates (SANs).
They are: Chief Wole Olanipekun, O.C.J. Okocha, Dr. Alex Izinyon, Damien Dodo, Dabian Ajogwu, Ighodalo Imadegbelo, Chief Assam Assam, O.A. Omonuwa, Jude Nnodum and Paul Erokoro.
To prove that the election was conducted substantially in accordance with the Electoral Act, the President and his deputy said they would call 102 witnesses, a forensic expert, finger print expert, a biometric analyst and a statistician.
They also raised an objection to the competence of the petition. If the objection is upheld, the petition will be dismissed and the case will not go into trial.
According to them, the petition having been filed on a Sunday, May 8, was founded on a nullity. They said Sunday was a non-working day, noting that the tribunal registry, under the applicable rules was not open on a Sunday for the transaction of any business.
They said the petition was not properly constituted because the CPC Presidential candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare on whose behalf the petition was filed were not made parties to the petition
The prayers/reliefs of the Petitioner cannot be granted in the absence of Buhari and Bakare," they added.
Via:The Nation