The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Gombe has struck out three petitions challenging the election of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The three-man Tribunal led by Justice M.B. Tukur granted the prayers of the counsel to the three petitioners, Jungudo Adamu Jungudo, Muhammadu Auwal Ibrahim, and Aliyu Adamu seeking to withdraw their petitions due to ill health and inability to fund their petitions.
An unprecedented move by the petitioners to discontinue proceedings took center stage at the Governorship Election Tribunal as counsel to the petitioner submitted their applications seeking to withdraw their petitions due to their inability to continue with the case and ill health.
Counsel to the Gombe State Governor-elect, the first respondent did not oppose the application but filed an affidavit against the illegal terms of withdrawal subject to section 30 of the electoral act.
He sought for cost in accordance with the first schedule of the electoral act.
Counsels to the second respondent, the APC also agreed with the submissions of the second respondent and sought for cost in the second and third petitions.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission also towed a similar position. But State Returning Officer did not seek for cost. The issue of cost was vehemently opposed by the counsel to the petitioners.
The three-man Election Tribunal panel granted the pleas of the petitioners to withdraw their petitions and awarded a cost of 50, 000 naira to the first respondent in the first petition and 50, 000 Naira each to the first and second respondents in the second and third petitions respectively.
With the ruling, the Governorship Election Tribunal concluded its assignment in Gombe.
