The Action Alliance has withdrawn their petition accusing Bola Tinubu, the incoming president.
This decision was made during the current pre-hearing on Monday in Abuja at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The petitioners said that their actual candidate Solomon Okanigbuan was left off of the list posted on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s website.
After the hearing was resumed, the petition submitted by the Action Alliance was called, and the parties indicated their attendance.
The Action Alliance was represented in court by Solomon Okanigbuan, the party’s presidential candidate, and Adekunle Omo-aje, the chairman of the party, who made the announcement.
The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, introduced himself as Bola Tinubu’s representative. However the court said Lalong could not represent Tinubu, but the APC.
Following this, Oba Maduabuchi announced his appearance for the AA party.
Malachi Umuebe also confirmed his appearance for the same party, which caused confusion.
However, Maduabuchi remained adamant in his position as the party’s spokesman and asked the court for permission to completely withdraw the petition.
Speaking, he urged that the party’s name be removed from the petition on the grounds that the AA had not given its consent to be included.
He mentioned the Court of Appeal ruling, which stated that “You people are not even members of Action Alliance,” and added that he did not want to involve the court in the situation.
“I have been served by the respondents that they are not opposing,” I prayed, adding that “the petition be dismissed upon withdrawal.”
Responding, counsel for the respondent, Abubakar Mahmoud said, “We have no objection, my Lord.”
In a brief ruling, Justice Tsammani dismissed the petition as requested.
“The petition is hereby dismissed,” the justice concluded.
The AA has been embroiled in a tussle over the party’s leadership.
The Punch reports that the Justices who will be presiding over the various petitions that will arise are: the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Haruna Tsammani; Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal Asaba division, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Court of Appeal also of Asaba Division; Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano division and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Court of Appeal.
Details later…
