The Action People’s Party has withdrawn its petition against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, in the ongoing proceedings challenging his victory at the polls.
Counsel for the party, Obed Agu, made this known during Wednesday’s proceedings.
The party, at the resumed proceedings before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, announced its decision to terminate further hearing on its petition marked: CA/PEPC/02/23.
Counsel to the party, Mr. Obed Agu, told a five-member panel of the court that was set to hear the matter, that the withdrawal notice, which was filed on May 9, was predicated on Paragraph 29(1)(2) and (3) of the Schedule for Election Petitions.
“My Lords, we are seeking an order of this court for leave to withdraw this petition filed on March 19.
“As well as an order striking out or dismissing the petition, same having been withdrawn,” Agu stated.
On his part, the President-elect, Tinubu, through his lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipenkun, SAN, said he was not opposed to APP’s application to withdraw the petition.
“We want to commend them, with the hope that more will still come. My Lords, we are not asking for cost,” Olanipenkun, SAN, added.
Similarly, lead counsel for the APC, Prince Lateef Fagemi, SAN, who did not also oppose the application, urged those whose petitions against the outcome of the presidential election are still pending before the court to emulate the APP.
He said: “We commend the petitioners for doing the right thing. Let those who have not done so, do so immediately.
“The flight is moving. We want to let them know that we commend them and we are not asking for cost,” Fagbemi, SAN, added.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, equally did not oppose the application.
INEC’s lawyer, Mr. A. B. Mahmood, SAN, said the application was served to him on Tuesday.
In the brief ruling, Justice Tsammani, who is the presiding judge of the Presidential Election Petition Court, dismissed the suit.
“Having listened to all the parties, we are satisfied that there is no collusion. The petition having been withdrawn, it is hereby dismissed,” the court held.
