Buhari to Atiku: Produce your credentials
http://www.hrlnews.com/2019/04/buhari-to-atiku-produce-your-credentials.html
President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Atiku Abubakar, the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), candidate to produce and tender his
educational certificates, indicating the schools attended by him, with
dates.
The challenge was one of the planks of Buhari’s response to Abubakar’s petition at the Presidential Election Tribunal.
In the filing by a team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN),
Buhari debunked Atiku’s and PDP’s claim that he was not qualified to
run for President.
The President said he was far more qualified than Atiku and on the
contrary, it was Atiku that was not qualified to run for the office.
Buhari said he did not, “at any time, provide any false information
in Form CF00] submitted to the lst respondent, either in 2014 or 2018.
“The affidavit of compliance to the 2019 Form CF001 was correct in every material particular.
“In filling Form CF001 in 2014 and 2019, respondent was not oblivious
of the constitutional qualifications stipulated in Section 131 of the
Constitution and interpreted in Section 318 of the same Constitution.
“Petitioners themselves are also not oblivious of the fact that
respondent possesses far more than the constitutional threshold expected
for a candidate contesting for the office of President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
“The respondent avers that he is far more qualified, both
constitutionally and educationally, to contest and occupy the office of
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria than the 1st petitioner
(Atiku); and that in terms of educational qualifications, trainings and
courses attended, both within and outside Nigeria, he is head and
shoulder above the 1st petitioner in terms of acquisition of knowledge,
certificates, laurels, medals and experience.
“Respondent states further that it is the 1st petitioner, who is not
qualified to contest the office of President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, and challenges the educational credentials and certificates of
the 1st petitioner.
“1st petitioner is hereby given notice to produce and tender his
educational certificates, indicating the schools attended by him, with
dates.”
The President gave his educational resume as: “Elementary School,
Daura and Maid’adua (1948 – 1952), Middle School, Katsina (1953-1956,
Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College, Katsina
(1956-1961).”
Buhari faulted the entire petition filed by the PDP and Atiku,noting
that they are more about pre-election issues, which the Court of Appeal,
sitting as a tribunal lacked jurisdiction.
He also argued that the petitioners told lies against themselves in
the petition and made conflicting claims which the tribunal cannot
grant.
Buhari noted that while the petitioners claimed to have won the last
presidential election and also won elections in many states in the
Southsouth and Southeastern part of the country, they also urged the
court to nullify the election and order a fresh presidential election.
Buhari argued that by virtue of Section of 137of the Electoral Act,
petitioners cannot question the results of elections in states where
they claim to have won and still retain themselves as petitioners.
Buhari faulted the petitioners’ claim that the election was marred by
corrupt practices and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral
Act.
The President also faulted the petitioners’ claim that they won the
election, insisting that, by the result announced by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), he and his party, the All
Progressives Congress (APC), won the last presidential election
election.
He asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the
reliefs the petitioners sought by the petitioners are frivolous.
“The entire reliefs are not justifiable, as the petitioners, who
claim to have scored majority of lawful votes in substantial number of
states, are also questioning their own return in those states.
“The petitioners cannot act as petitioners and respondents in the same petition.
“The alternative relief sought is self-defeating, apart from being frivolous.
“The election to the office of President on 23rd February, 2019, was
conducted in substantial compliance with the provision of the Electoral
Act, 2010 (as amended),” he said.
Buhari, challenged the petitioners to produce “specifics of website: www.factsdontlien .com, including its domain owner, proprietor, lessee, lessor, etc., pleaded in paragraph 29 of the petition.
“Details of the electronic data on the servers of the 1st respondent
(Inec), including the time, the details were downloaded, the person who
downloaded them and the means of downloading (paragraph 29 of the
petition).