The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said the presidential poll tribunal did not reject his request to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku, who dismissed a presidency statement which termed the judgement a “victory against propaganda,” said the court only said the request is not relevant at its current stage of hearing.
Atiku and the PDP had requested to inspect the INEC server, which they claimed show results that prove the party won the February presidential election.
But in a statement by Paul Ibe, the former vice president said “The request by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission was NOT rejected,” Paul Ibe, his spokesman, said in a statement on Tuesday.
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“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.”
According to him, “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 added.
“In the 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.”