PDP will challenge Buhari’s ‎victory at tribunal, Dr. Bello Fadile

The  Peoples Democratic Party has said it will challenge the outcome of the March 28 presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, through its Chairman and Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday morning, declared  Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.)‎ of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.

The PDP through its agent at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, when the final result was declared, had refused to sign the result sheet despite its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, having earlier conceded defeat.

‎The agent of the PDP, Bello Fadile, who was in attendance when parties were being called upon to sign the result sheet, told journalists shortly after the result was declared that the party was not satisfied with the outcome of the election and had decided to challenge it at the election tribunal.

One of the PDP agents, Godsday Orubebe, who had earlier caused a row when the collation exercise continued on Tuesday, had left the National Collation Centre in Abuja before the announcement of the final result by Jega.

“Whether I sign it (the result sheet) or I don’t sign it,  does not make any difference. It doesn’t invalidate the result‎. When we go to court, then we can challenge the result,” Fadile said.

At about 3.36am when Fadile approached the podium, where Jega was seated, instead of signing the result sheet as other agents invited before him had done, he only spoke few words in hushed tones to the INEC boss, shook hands with him (Jega) and returned to his seat.

Fadile however waited till the end ‎of the event at about 3.53am to receive a copy of the result.

When asked to confirm if the PDP will challenge the result at the presidential election petitions tribunal, Fadile added, “Sure! The party petitioned. Don’t forget. So the party will follow through the petition. There are rules for this. The law is there.

“The result was declared on the 1st of April, I think. We will follow the due process. Like the president (Jonathan) said, ‘If you have any grievances, follow due process and the due process in this instance is to go to the tribunal.”