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The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Isaac Wonwu, against the re-election of the state Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The tribunal’s chairman, Justice O.K. Kaigama, dismissed the petition based on an application for its withdrawal filed by Wonwu’s counsel, Uche Olewunne.
Kaigama dismissed the petition after listening to the argument of all parties in the matter.
Justice Kaigama also stated that the LP governorship candidate withdrew the petition on his own volition.
Olewunne had earlier sought the leave of the tribunal to withdraw the petition.
He prayed the court to take the application out of pre-hearing stage as stated in Electoral Act, Page 47, Sub 1, First Schedule as amended.
However, counsel for the Peoples Democratic Party and Wike, Mr M.S. Agwu, was not opposed to the application, just as he added that he had filed an affidavit against any illegal terms of withdrawal.
Agwu maintained that the petitioner withdrew the petition on his own volition.
Similarly, counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), informed the tribunal that the commission was not opposed to the application for withdrawal and called for the petition to be dismissed.
The election petition tribunal also dismissed the petition of the Peoples Progressive Party against the PDP, Wike and INEC following an application for withdrawal by the party.
Counsel for the PPP, Chibuzor Ezike, had earlier sought the withdrawal of the petition.
