Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 23, 2019, presidential election, has vowed not to mortgage the people’s mandate as he unveiled his legal team on Saturday.
Atiku is challenging the victory of incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In a statement on Friday, March 1, 2019, by Atiku’s media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate named Dr. Livy Uzoukwu SAN as head of his legal team.
Atiku has alleged malpractices and manipulation of the ballot in many states across the federation to the undue advantage of President Buhari who contested the poll on the platform of the All progressives Congress, APC.
He also alleged interference by the military and other security agencies in the election in ways and manners that compromised the credibility of the election, including voter repression, falsification of results and intimidation of voters.
The statement quoted Atiku as saying, “I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved.
“I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably, is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power”.
Atiku assured that sooner than later, the noble dispensers of justice will give a judgment that will represent a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandits.
He maintained that in no circumstances will he mortgage the mandate he said was freely given him by Nigerians in the February 23, 2019, election.
