S’court: We upheld Buhari’s election because Atiku failed to prove INEC had server

The supreme court says Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, failed to prove his claim that INEC had a server through which election results were transmitted.

The court said this on Friday while giving reasons for dismissing Atiku’s appeal, which he filed against the election of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court held that the petitioner was wrong to have relied on results from “www.factsdontlieng.com”, a website whose owner he could not establish.

Inyang Okoro, the justice who deliver the lead judgement, said: “I agree entirely with the court below that the appellants failed to prove that INEC has the server from which they got their figures.

“As a result, all the results, calculations and analysis based on the results claimed, are of no moment.”

The apex court also held that Buhari possessed the required educational qualification to contest the election and that he did not submit false documents to INEC.

It held that the constitution does not require anyone to possess a secondary school certificate to be qualified to run for president.

The court said the constitution allows a candidate who possesses a primary school certificate and has worked in the public or private service for a period not less than 10 years, and can read, write and communicate in the English language to the satisfaction of INEC to contest the election.

Also, the court held that the appellant failed to prove the allegation of voting against Buhari.