The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday dismissed two petitions filed by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Action People’s Party (APP) challenging the victory of governor Dapo Abiodun at the Saturday, March 18 polls.
The petitions marked EPT/Gov/01/2023 and EPT/OG/Gov/04/2023 were filed in April by the political parties against Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the two parties separately approached the tribunal for discontinuation and withdrawal of their petitions.
During the sitting on Monday, Counsel to the parties, Peter Ogah withdrew the petitions based on the motion of discountenance earlier filed before the tribunal.
The respondents’ counsel, Ganiyu Ogunsanwo did not oppose the application for the withdrawal of the two petitions.
In his ruling, the three-man tribunal headed by Justice Hamidu Kunaza dismissed the petitions for lack of merit.
The tribunal also dismissed an attempt by the national leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) through its Legal adviser for a change of counsel representing the party at the governorship election petition tribunal.
The tribunal held that no motion or application had been filed before it by the National Working Committee of the party informing the tribunal of the plan to change the counsel for the party at the tribunal.
The State Chairman of NNPP, Oginni Olaposi had explained that the party withdrew the petition because it could be counterproductive to the interest of the NNPP.
Olaposi explained that the NNPP had in the petition challenged the omission of the party’s name on the ballot used during the March 18 poll.
Whereas, he noted that the same ballot papers used in Ogun State, were equally used in the governorship in Kano State where the NNPP defeated the ruling APC.
He said going ahead with the petition could be counterproductive against the interest of the party.
The party chairman also alleged plans to hijack the petition by some powers-that- be within the party at the national level.
