The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, respondent in the ongoing appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of president Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23 presidential election, has stated that it would not call any witness in the petition of the PDP and the former vice president. Counsel to INEC, Yunus Usman, made this known at the resumed hearing of the tribunal, in Abuja. At the hearing, Yunus explained that the decision was taken in order not to waste the Tribunal’s precious time to repeat what their own witnesses admitted under cross-examination. He further stated that the electoral body had painstakingly studied the petitioners’ case and and as such, would rely on the evidence of their witnesses’ under cross-examination. Sequel to INEC’s decision, counsel to president Buhari, Mr Wole Olanipekun, requested that they be allowed to commence their response to the petition. He also prayed the court to give till Tuesday, July 30th to commence calling witnesses. However, chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Mohammed Garba, suggested he wait till Tuesday to hear the ruling of the court regarding the position of INEC. The Tribunal, therefore, adjourned till Tuesday, July 30th, for president Buhari to open his case against the petitioners.
