Gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) in Zamfara State, Hassan Ibrahim S. Pawa has voluntarily withdrawn the petition he filed against the election of Abdulazeez Yari of ANPP.
A motion on notice pursuant to section 145(1) of Electoral Act 2010, filed by counsel to the petitioner, Pwahomdi M. Lasco sought the relief of the tribunal to withdraw the petition No. ZM/EPT/GOV/01/2011, pending before it and an order striking out the petition.
In an affidavit sworn to by Hassan S. Pawa who is the 1st petitioner in support of the motion, he said: “After sober reflection, I voluntarily decided, with the consent of the second petitioner, PPA, not to maintain or proceed with the prosecution of this petition.”
The candidate further said in the affidavit: “Without prejudice to the success or otherwise of the said petition, the order for a re-run election will not serve any useful purpose as the possibility of victory by me as candidate of the second respondent is very slim, with attendant enormous financial burden.”
He also affirmed that to the best of his knowledge and belief, there was neither any agreement nor term of any kind whatsoever made with nor undertaking entered into with any of the seven respondents in relation to the withdrawal of the petition. Meanwhile, 14 petitions have been filed before the election petition tribunal in Zamfara State with only one out of seven National Assembly seats being challenged.
Secretary of the tribunal, Mrs. Hannatu Bello, said other petitions are for 11 state assembly seats filed by ANPP and two for governorship election filed by PDP and PPA. She however confirmed that PPA has filed a motion of withdrawal of its petition but no date has been fixed to hear the motion.
Mrs. Bello also said the tribunal is yet to fix date for its inaugural sitting due to certain processes that are causing delay. She said there were exchange of correspondence among lawyers which entail services and replies before sitting could commence and cannot say exactly how long the process could take.
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