TRlBUNAL: Atiku can question Buhari’s qualification

The presidential election petition tribunal says Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, can question President Muhammadu Buhari’s qualification in contesting the February presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Ist respondent in the case, had filed an application asking the tribunal to dismiss grounds four and five of Atiku’s petition.

Grounds four of the petition is asking the court to disqualify Buhari over non-qualification, while grounds five says the president submitted ”false information of a fundamental nature in aid of his qualification to INEC”.

But the court struck out INEC’s application, holding that the petitioner did not err by raising questions on Buhari’s qualification.

It held that grounds four and five of Atiku’s petition are not a pre-election matter, and ”it is hereby accepted by the court based on the provisions of the electoral act 2010 as amended”.

But the tribunal is yet to give a verdict on the claims made by the petitioner.

Atiku had petitioned the tribunal, challenging Buhari’s victory in the election. He said the president was not qualified to vie in the election for allegedly submitting false information to INEC.

The president counter-petitioned, saying Atiku was not qualified to run for the office of the president for allegedly not being a citizen of Nigeria by birth.