Victor Ezeja
Seven PDP-controlled states have discontinued a suit against the Federal Government at the Supreme Court challenging the collation of presidential election results and the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
The states are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Taraba and Sokoto.
The suit which was filed on February 28, listed the attorneys general of the seven states as plaintiffs and the Attorney General of the Federation as defendant.
The plantiffs sought a declaration of the apex court that the pronouncement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as winner of the February 25 presidential election is void.
They alleged that the collation of results, announcement and declaration of Tinubu as president-elect did not follow the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, particularly the uploading of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
They also expressed fears of a potential breakdown of public order and civil disobedience.
However, in the notice of Discontinuance signed by their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, on Friday, the plaintiffs said “Take notice that the plaintiffs doth hereby wholly discontinue this suit against the defendant herein.”
The suit was discontinued because the results have already been announced and a President-elect declared. Having been overtaken by events, it will now be a tribunal matter.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
