The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the petition filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the victory of Governor Ahmed Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state’s November 11 governorship poll.
The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, dismissed the petition following its withdrawal by APP’s counsel, Daniel Edeachi.
The withdrawal application was not opposed by counsels to Governor Ododo, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a ruling after reviewing the affidavit of no objection filed by the respondents’ lawyers, the tribunal struck out the APP petition.
The petition, filed on December 1, 2023, challenged the declaration of Ododo as the validly elected governor of Kogi State in the November 11, 2023, governorship poll conducted by INEC.
The party had sued Ododo, APC, and INEC as the first to third respondents, respectively.
In its motion on notice dated and filed on February 15, APP sought leave to withdraw the petition and requested an order striking out or dismissing the petition, which was granted by the tribunal.
APP stated that upon re-evaluation of the grounds and facts of the petition, it was “not reasonably convinced about the sustainability of the grounds of the petition” as presently constituted before the tribunal.
The tribunal noted that hearings on the remaining three petitions continue.
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