By Jennifer Y Omiloli
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has filed a motion seeking to withdraw the Adamawa state Election Petition Tribunal which it filed, challenging the election of Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as the winner of the Adamawa state Governorship election.
Jibrilla Bindow who lost the 2019 Governorship contest to Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier declined to challenge the outcome, but his party, the APC took Fintiri to the tribunal.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday in Yola, lead Counsel to APC, Smart Ukpanah informed the tribunal that his client (APC) has filed a motion seeking to discontinue the case.
However, there was a mild drama at the sitting, as two opposing counsels appeared for the APC. CP Eze Okoye, led a team of other lawyers to also announced appearance for the APC just like Smart Ukpanah.
Two separate representatives also announced appearance for the plaintiff. Aliyu Bakari, APC Vice Chairman (Adamawa Central), announced appearance for the party alongside Smart Ukpanah. On the other hand, Mohammed Adamu, APC Treasurer in the state, took side with the Okoye led legal team.
After the motion of withdrawal was mentioned, Barrister Okoye, objected and told the tribunal that he has filed a counter motion on behalf of his client, the APC.
In the ensuing confusion, Justice, A.A. Adebara, Chairman of the tribunal asked the opposing APC counsels to go and sort things out. He therefore, adjourned the matter to July 15, 2019 to hear both the motion and the substantive matter.
When asked to comment on the motion, A.T. Shehu, Counsel to PDP said “we have no objection about the motion seeking to withdraw the petition, as filed by the petitioner”.
Daybreak gathered that the decision to withdraw the petition may not be unconnected to lack of funding, as former Governor Bindow was said to have refused to foot the legal cost of the litigation.
