PEPC: Atiku raises the alarm over delay in releasing judgement copy, alleges action undermines quest for justice

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has raised alarm over alleged attempt by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to frustrate his appeal against the Wednesday ruling seeking nullification of President Bola Tinubu’s victory, contending that the action amounts to undermining his and Nigerians quest for justice.

This was contained in a press statement signed Friday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, complaining that three days after delivering its judgement on the petition by Atiku and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, PEPC is yet to provide for his boss lawyers and that of PDP the certified true copies of its judgment.

This, according to the statement, comes as Atiku and his lawyers have just 14 days to file their appeal at the Supreme Court on the judgement.

Shaibu, has however remarked that, “by not making available to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, the certified true copies of the judgement of Wednesday for its filings at the Supreme Court, the Presidential Election Petition Court, is undermining Atiku’s and Nigerians quest for justice.”

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Shaibu reminded the PEPC that “it had made heavy weather at the delivery of its judgement on Wednesday that parties need to adhere strictly to the time schedule set by the court.”

He noted that “the PEPC is not oblivious that three precious days of the 14-day limit for parties to file their processes at the highest court have been wasted by the Appeal Court.

“We wish to remind the PEPC that it struck out the testimonies of some of the witnesses of Atiku during the litigation at the court of first instance because their statements on oath were filed out of time.

“And now, from all intents and purposes, the same court wants to have Atiku and PDP’s appeal to the Supreme Court disqualified by the reason of time deadline.

“Does the PEPC not understand that the lawyers representing Atiku/PDP need to digest the judgement as contained in the CTC which represents the authentic pronouncements made in court on Wednesday in order to formulate its case for filing?” Shaibu queried.

He said further that, “there can be no justification for the PEPC not making available the CTC of its so-called judgement for Atiku to continue with his quest on behalf of over 200 million Nigerians for substantial justice as opposed to the judgement rendered by the PEPC.

“It is curious that the same PEPC that claimed that the judgement was ready as at the time it was delivered on Wednesday is still grappling with typos and errors, according to available information. Why did the PEPC not wait till next week to deliver the judgement as it would still have met the legal deadline instead of rushing to render a judgement which text is still undergoing panel beating?

“It is anti democratic of the court to steal, already at the last count, 3 precious days out of the 14-day time limit for Atiku to file his processes at the Supreme Court. The lost time would never be recovered,” he said.