The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State says it has not withdrawn its petition against the election of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The party said on Wednesday through its Legal Adviser, Barr Shagnah Pwamadi, that the alleged withdrawal of the case, made on Tuesday, was the product of a plan by some party ‘renegades’ working with the PDP to subvert the petition filed by the party challenging the emergence of Governor Fintiri following the last general election.
Some news outlets reported on Tuesday that the APC had withdrawn its petition, but it soon became evident that only a couple of persons took the decision at a sitting of the governorship election petitions tribunal in Yola.
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Reacting to the development on Wednesday, the APC legal adviser stressed that the APC never contemplated withdrawing its petition against Governor Fintiri and the PDP.
“The PDP is using Aliyu Bakari (Zonal state chairman, Central), Alhaji Saidu Naira (State Financial Secretary) and Alhaji Babangida Talasse (Mayo Belwa Local Government party chairman) through Barrister Smart Ukpanah who was handling the case at the election petition tribunal, to frustrate the case,” Pwamadi stated.
He said neither the three party leaders nor the lawyer had locus standi to withdraw the case. “The lawyer could only withdraw from representing the party in the case if he no longer wishes to continue with it,” he asserted.
He announced that the National Secretariat of the APC had engaged Ibrahim Effiong and Co to take over the case from Barrister Smart Ukpanah “as the APC has no option than to officially disengage him and pay him off to enable the party execute the petition effectively.” [THE NATION]
