Mohammed Babangida and A.M Inuwa, lawyers to the petitioners, had cited three reasons for the withdrawal: that the petitioners filed the petition on grounds as stated in the petition, that the petitioner was summoned to a family meeting during which his uncles pressurised him to withdraw this petition and focus on his business, and that the petitioner heeded this advice hence this application to withdraw.
Justice Raphael Ajuwa, Chairman of the Gombe State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, has granted the prayers of Lamido Umaru Chikaire, candidate of the People Redemption Party (PRP) in the election, to withdraw his petition against Danjuma Goje, candidate of the All Progressives Congress who was declared winner of the Gombe Central senatorial election.
Granting the prayers of the petitoner, Ajuwa said: “Going by the date for election petition and having heard the pleas of lawyers of the litigants, this panel will grant the motion for the withdrawal of this petition."
Mohammed Babangida and A.M Inuwa, lawyers to the petitioners, had cited three reasons for the withdrawal: that the petitioners filed the petition on grounds as stated in the petition, that the petitioner was summoned to a family meeting during which his uncles pressurised him to withdraw this petition and focus on his business, and that the petitioner heeded this advice hence this application to withdraw.
Goje and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were the respondents in the case.
The petitioners had asked the tribunal to overturn the results of the election, which INEC had declared Goje the winner of.
Reacting to the withdrawal, Haruna Luka, lawyer to the respondents, said: "The case was vague. This has once again cemented the victory of Danjuma Goje, who got overwhelming votes."
INEC declared Goje winner for the Gombe Central National Assembly election, saying polled 110,116 votes to defeat Chikaire who garnered 8,397 to place a distant 3rd.