Seven PDP States Withdraw Suit Challenging Presidential, NASS Election Results
Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Taraba and Sokoto states have filed a notice before the Supreme Court, to discontinue their suit challenging the results of the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The States had on February 28, filed a suit before the apex court, seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review results of last Saturday’s election.
Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who filed the suit on behalf of the Attorneys-General of the states as plaintiffs, argued that there was flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, requiring transmission of the collated result of the February 25 polls, directly at the polling units by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
In the originating summons marked: SC/CV/354/2023, the plaintiffs sought an order of the apex court, “directing a holistic review of all results so far announced by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which were carried out other than through the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials”.
Howrver, the Plaintiffs on Friday, applied to the apex court to discontinue the suit
The “Notice of Discontinuance” signed by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and dated March 3, 2023, reads : “Take notice that the plaintiffs doth hereby wholly discontinue this suit against the defendant herein”.
-diplomatic diary
