The governorship election petitions tribunal in Ibadan has adjourned the hearing of the application by the Allied Peoples’ Movement Party (APM) seeking to withdraw the petition challenging Governor Seyi Makinde’s victory to Thursday.

The APM had approached the tribunal to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Mr 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, H. Bello, informed the court that the case was slated for hearing, but he had discovered during his preparation for the hearing that the petitioner (APM) had congratulated Mr Makinde and his party.

Mr Bello said the petitioner had lost interest in the outcome of the petition, and based on this, the party’s national chairman instructed him to file an application for the withdrawal of the petition.

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

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

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

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

Mr Emudainohwo said that the proceedings were slated for a hearing, not the withdrawal application.

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

(NAN)