Tribunal adjourns application to withdraw petition against Makinde’s victory

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Ibadan has adjourned hearing of the application by the Allied Peoples’ Movement Party (APM) seeking to withdraw the petition challenging Makinde’s victory to Thursday.

The APM had approached the tribunal to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) declaration of Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 Governorship election after polling 563,756 votes.

Other respondents to the petition are the PDP and INEC.

At the Monday proceedings, the APM Counsel, Mr. H. Bello, informed the court that the case was slated for hearing but had just discovered during his preparation for the hearing that the petitioner (APM) had congratulated Makinde and his party.

Bello said that the petitioner had lost interest in the outcome of the petition, and based on this reason, he was instructed by the party’s National Chairman to file an application for the withdrawal of the petition.

He said that withdrawing the petition would save the time of the tribunal and that of the respondents’ counsel.

Bello said that he just filed the application for the withdrawal of the case on Monday and also served the respondents’ counsel.

In their responses, the INEC Counsel, Mr. K. Duru, the Counsel to the PDP, Mr. Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), and Makinde’s Counsel, Mr. Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), all confirmed receipt of the application and said they would not oppose it.

The tribunal, chaired by Justice Ejiron Emudainohwo, said the panel would not be taking the application for withdrawal today.

Emudainohwo said that the proceedings were slated for hearing and not the application for withdrawal.

She adjourned the case until Thursday for the hearing of the application.