President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have closed their defence before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Thursday, August 1, 2019.

Buhari was declared the winner of the February 23 presidential election, but Atiku Abubakar,and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rejected the result and sued to be declared winner instead.

Buhari opened defence of his case on Tuesday, July 30, but has now ended it after calling just seven witnesses, which pales in comparison to the 62 presented by the petitioners.

Buhari’s lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), announced the closing of his defence when proceedings resumed on Thursday.

He told the five-member tribunal panel the second respondent is satisfied with the case presented before the court.

“We are very satisfied with the evidence we have led and we will be closing our case as the second respondent,” Olanipekun said.

The APC’s counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, told the tribunal there was no need for the third respondent to call witnesses as it would be an “overkill”.

“We for the third respondents say we have satisfied with the cross-examination and evidences tendered in this case,” he said.

The first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), failed to call any witnesses.

Presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Garba, proceeded to schedule the adoption of the final addresses for August 21.

Details later.