JUST IN: Atiku, father, grandfather not Nigerians ― Kyari

Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday told the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar in the Feb.23 general election was a Cameroonian “flesh and blood’’.

Kyari, who was led through his deposition by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Counsel for the president, insisted that Jada, the hometown of the former vice president was in Adamawa Province, an enclave that belonged to Northern Cameroon in 1946 when he (Atiku) was born.

He explained that Atiku was already born in 1946 before the plebiscite was conducted in 1961 to balkanize Nigeria and Cameroon where Jada which was part of Northern Cameroon voted to become Nigerian territory.

Kyari further said that the plebiscite also resulted in the Southern part of Cameroon officially aligning to becoming Cameroonian territory.

The witness, therefore, said the French system of assimilation had compelled people of Jada, including Abubakar’s father and grandfather to be full Cameroonians in “flesh and blood’’.

Earlier, the tribunal admitted a total of 26 documentary evidence from the president through his counsel, Olanipekun.

NAN listed some of the exhibits to be 19 Certified True Copies of Newspaper publications.

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The respondent also tendered the APC Roadmap to a new Nigeria as evidence.

The others are: Cambridge Assessment International Education Certificate for Muhammadu Buhari obtained in 1961 and Receipt of the above document.

The tribunal also admitted as evidence, a Certified-True-Copy of Confidential Result sheet of the University of Cambridge West Africa School Certificate 1961 for Katsina Provincial Secondary School showing names of candidates who attended and sat for the examination.

Another set of evidence included the class six group photograph of Katsina Provincial Secondary School taken in 1961 and news publication of June 22, 2015, of the above photograph.

Also tendered and admitted was the Curriculum Vitae of the second respondent (Buhari) which was duly signed by him.

Furthermore, the tribunal admitted a commendation letter on Buhari signed by the Commandant of the U.S. Army War College delivered to Lt:- Gen. Alani Akinrinade (Rtd) in June 1980.

However, Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, Counsel for the Petitioners objected to the admissibility of all the materials but had reserved reasons to the address stage.

Justice Mohammed Garba, Chairman of the tribunal, thereafter adjourned proceedings until July 31 for continuation.