Presidential Tribunal: Bandits Attack Atiku, PDP’s Witnesses

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, informed the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that their witnesses were attacked while travelling from Zamfara state to Abuja.

The witnesses were said to have been scheduled to appear before the tribunal today but were unable to make it due to the alleged attack.

The PDP and its presidential candidate had last week begun calling out their witnesses at the tribunal and have so far called out seven witnesses in their petition challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the February 23, 2019, presidential election.

Daily Trust reports that the tribunal was forced to adjourn today’s sitting after the petitioners informed it of the development.

Announcing the development, PDP’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), told the tribunal that the witnesses escaped into nearby bushes following the alleged attack.

The lead counsel, Levy Uzoukwu (SAN), who also corroborated the report, said some of the fleeing witnesses informed him of the development.

The petitioners’ plea for adjournment was consequently granted by the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mohammed Garba, who fixed July 15 for the next sitting.