The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has withdrawn a fresh application filed to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to allow their agents to participate in the process of sorting out ballot papers that were used for the presidential election that held on February 25.
The application was said to have been filed in order to challenge administrative hiccups they encountered at INEC office when they went for inspection of election materials as ordered by the court.
Following the withdrawal of the application, Justice Joseph Ikyegh-led who led the three-member panel struck it out.
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Both PDP and Atiku, who are separately challenging the outcome of the election told the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, that they were no longer interested in the application having been overtaken by event.
They said all the grey areas were sorted out, with INEC, pledging to allow their agents, observe the process of sorting out some of the electoral materials they requested, especially the ballot papers and there wouldn’t be any need for the application to be heard.
In the application, which was predicated on 11 grounds, one of which Atiku maintained was necessary is that agents of his party must be present during the sorting out of electoral materials he would need to prepare a petition he intends to lodge against the outcome of the presidential election.
He would also need his agents to observe and participate in the sorting of materials he requested for in all the offices of INEC nationwide, in line with the ex-parte order the court made on March 3.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
