FORMER Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has lined up a formidable legal team of 19 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to challenge the declaration by INEC of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president-elect of Nigeria.
Atiku briefed the team, headed by J. K. Gadzama (SAN) on Wednesday at his campaign Headquarters in Abuja, asking it to “establish the claim of illegality in the election and reclaim the mandate of the Nigerian people.”
Atiku also declared that it is crucial for him to go through this process not just for himself and PDP, but also to reinforce constitutional democracy and safeguard it for future generations.
Other members of the team include Chief Chris Uche, Paul Usoro, Tayo Jegede, Ken Mozia, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Mahmood Magaji, Joe Abraham, Chukwuma Umeh, Garba Tetengi and Chief Emeka Etiaba – as well as Chief Goddy Uche, Professor Maxwell Gidado; PDP’s National Legal Adviser – A. K. Ajibade; O. M. Atoyebi; Nella Rabana; Paul Harris Ogbole; Nuremi Jimoh and Abdul Ibrahim.
It will be recalled that Atiku and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, declined to concede victory to Tinubu in the presidential poll, with both claiming to have won the election and vowing to claim mandate in court.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja last Friday granted leave to Obi and Atiku, and ordering INEC to allow both, access to all the sensitive materials used for the conduct of the election.
The court was due to deliver its ruling on the suit by Obi on Wednesday while the suit by Atiku will be determined at a later date.
