2023 Election Results: Atiku, PDP Withdraw Application Against INEC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential flag bearer in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar have withdrawn the fresh application filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The application was filed to compel the electoral body to allow PDP agents to be involved in the checking of ballot papers used for the presidential election on February 25.

Like his Labour Party counterpart Peter Obi, Atiku is challenging the results of the poll.

Things took a rather interesting turn on Wednesday when Atiku through his team of lawyers led by Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN) informed the court that a notice of discontinuance had been filed in the case marked CA/PEC/10M/2023.

Speaking with Vanguard afterwards, a member of the legal who did not want his name in print disclosed that the grey areas have been sorted out as INEC is ready to accede to the party's request.

“We filed the application owing to challenges and administrative bottlenecks we encountered at the INEC office when we went for access to the election materials as ordered by the court.

“However, before the application dated March 13 could be slated for hearing, INEC, on its own, called our legal team for a meeting.

“It was at that meeting which was held yesterday (Tuesday) that all the grey areas were sorted out, with INEC, pledging to allow our agents to observe the process of sorting out some of the electoral materials we requested for, especially the ballot papers.

“Since that was primarily our prayer in the fresh application we filed, we felt that it would not be necessary to proceed with the hearing.

“So, to save judicial time, we filed a notice of discontinuance which was accordingly granted”, the source shared.