Atiku did not score majority of lawful votes in the February 23 election - INEC tells presidential election petitions tribunal

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the presidential election petitions tribunal that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar did not score the majority of lawful votes in the February 23 election.  

In a written address filed by its lead counsel, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN), INEC said PDP and Atiku could not prove allegations of wrong entry of results in 11 states of Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger and Zamfara States.  

INEC argued that the burden of proof which was on the petitioners was not successfully discharged, adding that they failed to establish that the election of February 23 was invalidated by corrupt practices and non-qualification against President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Furthermore, by virtue of section 150(1) of the Evidence Act, the results declared by the first respondent enjoy a presumption of regularity. Accordingly, the petitioners herein are duty-bound to rebut this presumption with credible evidence,” INEC said.