Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Ibrahim Ramalan
Published on 2024-02-20 16:53:14
The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja has struck out the petition filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the election victory of Governor Ahmed Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Nov. 11 governorship poll in the state. The petition was withdrawn by counsel for the APP, Daniel Edeachi, and the application for withdrawal was not opposed by the lawyers to Governor Ododo, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Ado Birnin–Kudu, ruled in favor of the withdrawal of the APP petition following the submission of an affidavit of no objection by lawyers representing the respondents. Consequently, the petition was struck out, and the hearing in the remaining three petitions continues.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the APP had filed the petition in December 2023, challenging the declaration of Ododo as the validly elected governor of Kogi in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship poll conducted by INEC. The party had sued Ododo, the APC, and INEC as the first to third respondents respectively.
In its motion on notice dated and filed on Feb. 15, the APP sought two orders, including an order granting leave to the petitioner/applicant to withdraw the Petition No: EPT/KG/GOV/01/2023 and an order striking out or dismissing the petition, having been withdrawn by the petitioner.
The party presented eight grounds of argument, stating that upon re-evaluating the grounds and facts of the petition, they were not convinced about the sustainability of the grounds of the petition as presently constituted before the tribunal. The withdrawal of the petition was based on the perceived unsustainability of the grounds of the petition and to avoid overburdening the tribunal with numerous petitions. The party emphasized that the withdrawal was in the interest of justice and that there was no connivance or collusion with any party or person for the withdrawal of the petition.
The APP stated, “It will be in the interest of justice to grant leave to the petitioner to withdraw this petition and to strike out same in view of the withdrawal.”
Following this development, the tribunal has struck out the petition, and the remaining three petitions continue to be heard. It is noteworthy that the withdrawal of the petition was voluntary and in the best interest of justice, as stated by the party.
The decision to withdraw the petition and subsequent striking out of the petition by the tribunal signifies the resolution of the matter and the continuation of the hearing of the remaining petitions.
Read the original article on DailyNigerian.com
