The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the February 23 2019 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has refuted media reports that the Presidential Election Tribunal rejected his request for the party to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Atiku in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, said rather than being a rejection, the tribunal ruled that the proceeding was still at preliminary stages and the main case has begun. Also, the statement said that the matter of granting access to inspect the INEC server is not relevant to the preliminary stage.

Apparently, this was response to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, rejoicing over the ruling of the tribunal on the request by Atiku and PDP to inspect the INEC server.

“The celebration by the administration of General Buhari that their electoral heist has been covered is premature. Their giddiness has even blinded them to the eye witness testimony given to multiple media in interviews by the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission that there is indeed a server and that they actually submitted results and accreditation through it.

“In their rush to claim a Pyrrhic victory, the General Buhari administration missed out the fact that the 2019 budget has multiple line items for procurement, maintenance and service of the server they claim does not exist.”

In a statement entitled, “He who laughs last, laughs best,” Atiku further said the tribunal held that it is a matter to be adjudicated upon when the main case is being heard.