PDP Witness Tells Tribunal Atiku Is A Nigerian By Birth

A file photo of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (inset).

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday called two more witnesses to buttress its point that its candidate, Atiku Abubakar is a Nigerian citizen by birth born on the 25th of November 1946.

One of the witnesses Magdiel Samaki told the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that Jadda, where the PDP presidential candidate in the February 23, 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar was born, had always been part of Nigeria.

Under cross-examination by the All Progressives Congress’ lawyer he insisted that he was not aware that Jadda was ever part of Northern Cameroon.

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Counsel to President Buhari, however, debunks the claim on the ground that as at 1946, Jadda which is Atiku’s birthplace was part of northern Cameroon.

Responding to a question of whether he was aware that before 1946, the entire Adamawa Province, where Jadda is located, was part of Northern Cameroon, he said, “To the best of my knowledge, Jadda was in Northern Nigeria, in Adamawa Province, even before 1946.”

Another witness, Likita Ali from Lafia in Nasarawa State claims that an INEC collation officer, Abubakar Kaura was caught with $10,000 at the Lafia Local Government Collation center.

He also claims that card readers were not used in 24 polling units where he supervised as an agent of the PDP.

Under cross-examination, he said he made a verbal report to the Police in Lafia but is not aware if the said INEC official has been or is being prosecuted.