Seven People’s Democratic Party, PDP-controlled state governments have discontinued their joint suit at the Supreme Court in which they challenged the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President-elect.
The suit had been brought against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Taraba and Sokoto States.
The Notice of Discontinuance signed by their lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozekhome SAN, on Friday, said: “Take notice that the plaintiffs doth hereby wholly discontinue this suit against the defendant herein”.
The six states have approached the Supreme Court over the conduct, collation and announcement of results of the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The six states prayed the apex court to void the pronouncement of the candidate of APC as winner and President-Elect based on the February 25, 2023 election.
Among other things, they were seeking, “A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
According to the suit filed on February 28, by their lawyers, Ozekhome, the agents and officials of the federal government and INEC, failed to transmit the collated result as 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 requiring transmission of the results by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in 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.
It was their submission that the, “Non-compliance with the due process of law has led to a widespread agitation, violent protests, displeasure, and disapproval from a wide spectrum of the Nigerian populace, including international observers, political parties, well-meaning Nigerians and former Head of States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
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