Replying to Buhari’s response to their
petition filed before the Election Petitions Tribunal, they said if it was true
that the certificates existed, Buhari as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces could order the army to produce them.
Atiku said he attached his academic
certificates to the Form CF001 he
submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In a
joint petition filed on March 18,
the former Vice-President and his party urged the tribunal to declare
them the authentic winner of the February 23 presidential election, insisting
Buhari did not possess the educational qualifications he claimed to have
in his INEC Form CF001.
They said in the reply filed on April 15 by
their legal team, led by Dr Livy Uzoukwu (SAN),
that having not been able to attach his academic certificates to INEC Form CF001, Buhari had falsely claimed
that his certificates were in the custody of the Nigerian Army.
The joint reply filed by Atiku and the PDP
read in part, “In further response to paragraph 381(iv) of the 2nd respondent’s reply, aver that the
petitioners have no knowledge of any certificates or alleged qualifications
issued to the 2nd respondent (Buhari), but contend that 2nd respondent falsely
represented that his certificates
are in the custody of the
Nigerian Army when the 2nd respondent by his own admission is the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“In further response to paragraph 381(iv)
of the 2nd respondent’s reply, the petitioners aver that the 2nd respondent as
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria could easily order the Army
Secretary to produce the certificates allegedly submitted if they actually
exist.
“Contrary to paragraph 381(i-iv) of the 2nd
respondent’s reply, the petitioners aver that the 2nd respondent does not
possess the educational qualification he claimed to have in his INEC Form CF001
submitted to the 1st respondent (INEC) having not been attached as required.”
The petitioners also stated that “the
purported training and courses”, which Buhari claimed placed him “head and
shoulders above” Atiku regarding educational qualifications to contest the presidential
election, “did not culminate in the issuance of any certificates he claimed in
his INEC Form CF001”.
They also described Buhari’s claim of being
head and shoulders above Atiku as “erroneous”.
Responding to Buhari’s allegation that
Atiku didn’t have the statutory educational qualifications to contest the
polls, the petitioners stated that the ex-VP attached his educational
qualifications to his Form CF001 submitted to INEC.
Insisting
Atiku was qualified to contest election for the office, the petitioners
stated that Buhari was unable to present any certificates because he did not
possess any “as he falsely claimed”.
They stated, “In reply to paragraph 383 of the 2nd respondent’s reply,
the petitioners aver that the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is eminently qualified to
contest election to the office of the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
and had indeed attached evidence of his educational qualifications to
his INEC Form CF001 submitted to the 1st respondent, unlike the 2nd respondent
(Buhari) who did not attach evidence of the qualifications he claimed in his
INEC Form CF001 because he does not possess them as he falsely claimed.”
INEC,
Buhari, and the All Progressives
Congress (Buhari’s party) are the 1st to
the 3rd respondents to the petition.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the
petition by the tribunal.
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