The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, says there is no cause for alarm over the Supreme Court’s ruling dismissing his claims to inspect INEC server.
Mr Abubakar, who addressed a news conference through his lead counsel, Eyitayo Jegede SAN, after Tuesday’s proceedings, said the decision was anticipated and that proactive action had been taken during the hearing of the petition.
“There is no cause for alarm in the decision of the apex court as it relates to our petition at the tribunal.
“The issue of server was aimed at establishing that the election was rigged during the collation of results and this was thoroughly addressed through witnesses and documents tendered and admitted during the presentation of the petition.”
He expressed optimism that the tribunal would do justice at the end of the day.
Mr Abubakar had approached the Supreme Court praying for an order to set aside the decision of the tribunal which refused to compel INEC to allow him access to the central server allegedly used in the conduct of the presidential poll.
But the Supreme Court refused the application, saying the matter was still pending before the Court of Appeal.
It ruled that the PDP’s decision to approach the apex court “under the guise of requesting for fair hearing” had failed.
“Litigants should stop relying on the provision of fair hearing alone as it is not available to them just for the asking,” the court ruled.
The court said the law does not allow it to set aside a valid decision of the lower court, and decided that the reason adduced by the Court of Appeal in a previous decision against the inspection of the server was valid.
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