Tribunal: We didn’t expect Buhari to win — Middle Belt Forum

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, said the team of judges, who sat on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal failed to address the fundament issue of the false declaration of certificate under oath by President Muhammadu Buhari.

National President of MBF, Dr Bitrus Porgu, who stated this while reacting to the tribunal judgment in Abuja, said, the verdict, might not be completed until the Supreme Court crack the nut around the perjury aspect of the petition.

Dr Porgu told Vanguard during the telephone conversation that, the forum would expect the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom they supported during the presidential election to appeal the judgment of the tribunal.

According to him, “Our reaction is simple. We believe the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Ordinarily out there we felt the President, Muhammadu Buhari didn’t win; but the judgement now is in his favour.

“We just wait and see. That is the thing we have to say. Because it is the judiciary that has the final say, it is not an individual or others.

“I believe the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will still appeal the tribunal’s judgment, maybe go to the Supreme Court, knowing that issues like false declaration under oath. Me, when I listened, I didn’t hear that one addressed.

“All I hear is that he has an equivalent of requirement of certificate. So, I believe they will still go further. Let’s wait and see. But there is nothing one can do about it since the judgement has been given; we just have to wait for next line of action.

“The tribunal has given its judgment which I am not competent to contest. But I believe if there are issues that have been raised and not been addressed, I believe Atiku’s team of counsel would appeal. For example, one, when the issue of certificate is been addressed, they talk about the requirement. They didn’t address the issue of swearing under oath.

“If Buhari said he had certificate or there was no certificate transmitted to the Army, and one of his witnesses said that, that means he swore falsely under oath. I didn’t hear any of the judgment which addressed that issue.

“On the issue of perjury, I did not hear any of the judgments given which addressed that issue. They addressed the issue of certificate which is line and equivalent, serving in that capacity up to the position in Army.

“That is the law, but the issue of perjury I did not hear. Let’s wait, I believe Atiku’s counsel will appeal Buhari’s victory and will we will hear the final verdict when we get the bus stop, the Supreme Court.

On whether the Forum will ask Atiku to appeal the judgment, he said: “It is not my responsibility to ask or instigate that Atiku should appeal the judgment, but the Middle Belt Forum, abinitio, came up when the elections are been conducted  that our support was going to Atiku Abubakar.

“And that he was the one that is going to be President of the country and make it better. Our plan didn’t work. And that is why we are where we are.

“But of course, if our candidate, which we all agreed as a socio-cultural group would be able to get repeal at the Supreme court, why not. He is free to contest it.”

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