INEC now meddlesome interloper in my petition, Atiku tells Tribunal

By Vivian Okejeme

Former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a meddlesome interloper in its defence against the PresidentElect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Also, Atiku told the court that INEC lacks legal right to defend Tinubu in the drug and dual citizenship accusations.

At the resumed proceeding, Friday, the electoral empire, through its counsel, Mr Kemi

Pinhero SAN moved a motion on notice praying the Court to strike out some of the allegations made against Tinubu.

Specifically, INEC pleaded with the Court to strike out 32 allegations made against Tinubu by Atiku for various reasons including lack of jurisdiction, forfeiture of $460,000 dollars in the United States of America (USA), possession of Guinea’s Password and Allegiance to foreign countries.

But Atiku, through his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche SAN filed a counter affidavit in opposition to INEC’S request and asked the Court to dismiss the electoral body’s position.

Uche argued that it was not the duty of INEC to do the battle or argue the case of Tinubu who is 2nd defendant in the petition.

Atiku insisted that INEC ought to be neutral but somersaulted by turning itself to busy body and meddlesome interloper by taking up the defense of Tinubu against the provisions of the law.

He therefore asked the Court to dismiss INEC’S motion for being gross abuse of court process, lacking in merit and grossly incompetent.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani has fixed the ruling till the date of judgment in the substantive petition.