Candidate of the Accord Party in Anambra State in the just concluded governorship election in the state, Dr. Godwin Maduka has withdrawn a petition he filed against the victory of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the governorship election.
Soludo who contested under the camp of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, swept his opponents from the other parties to emerge Anambra State Governor.
The victory of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the peaceful polls was, however, challenged by at least 11 other party candidates.
Maduka who had through his lawyer, Mr. N.D. Agu earlier challenged Soludo’s victory, however, filed an application, praying the tribunal to strike out the matter on the grounds that he was no longer interested in the petition.
The three-member tribunal consisting of Justice B. Mohammed, Justice Edem Akpan, and Justice O.H. Oyajimi accordingly struck out the petition.
Agu submitted that though he duly filed the petition, none of the respondents was served, arguing that consequently and in pursuant to order 56, rule 2 subparagraph 1 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure rules of 2019, which he supported with an application, the petition should be struck out because the petitioner was no longer interested in the petition.
Meanwhile, the tribunal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to allow both Soludo and Uba to inspect the election materials in the company of the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
It has been understood that Counsel to Soludo and INEC, Mr. S.I Ezeokenwa had earlier prayed the tribunal to allow joint inspection of the election materials which the tribunal granted.
