PDP Accuses INEC Of Fighting ‘Proxy War’ For Tinubu As Presidential Tribunal Reserves Ruling

The Presidential Election Petition Court sittings in Abuja has reserved rulings in separate applications filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, president-elect Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, against the People’s Democratic Party’s petition challenging the outcome of the presidential poll.

INEC’s lawyer A.B. Mahmoud SAN told the court on Friday that he has two applications which seek an order striking out certain paragraphs of PDP’s petition against Tinubu’s victory.

He urged the court to grant his application.

But PDP’s lawyer, Chris Uche SAN, tackled INEC, alleging that all the electoral umpire has done is to defend Tinubu in court.

“INEC is fighting proxy war in favour of Tinubu,” Uche said, insisting INEC should remain a neutral body.

On its part, lawyers representing Tinubu and the APC, Wole Olanipekun SAN and Lateef Fagbemi SAN, filed separate applications calling for removal of certain paragraphs of PDP’s petition which alleges Tinubu’s declaration as winner of the election was illegal.

Tinubu’s legal team contended that PDP’s petition was fundamentally defective.

They further argued that the Tribunal has no jurisdiction to determine PDP’s case.

Again, Uche asked the court to dismiss the applications of APC and Tinubu for lacking in merit and to hear his petition on its merits.

“Ruling is reserved, and to be delivered together with the final judgement,” the panel said while adjourning the pre-hearing session to Saturday for parties to adopt their pending processes.