Amaechi Opposes ACN Suit Withdrawal

The Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged the governorship election tribunal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to dismiss the application by the governorship candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) seeking the withdrawal of the petition, challenging the declaration of Governor Amaechi as the winner of April General election in the state.

In their separate submission yesterday at the  hearing on the motion for withdrawal of the petition filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria and its governorship candidate, Dr Abiye Sekibo, counsels to the PDP and governor Amaechi, Mrs E.O Kalu an I.A Adedipe told the tribunal to dismiss the application for withdrawal to meet up with pre-trail period days as stipulated in the electoral Act.

According to them, the petitioner can not withdraw his petition without responding to the motion, earlier filed by the respondent, pointing out that such withdrawal was wrong in the eyes of the law.

However, the counsel for Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Barrister C.P Agbaeze told the court that the motion to withdraw the petition was filed before the Tribunal on July 1, 2011, pointing out that the motion had taken care of all the sentiments raised by respondent.

He said he failed to reply the motion of the pre-trial raised by the respondent counsel on the belief that their notice for withdrawal of petition was enough and has taken care of their earlier motion filed on June 29, 2011.

Barrister Agbaeze told the tribunal that they (the legal firm) acted on the directive of their client, Dr Abiye Sekibo to withdraw the matter on a voluntary basis.

He argued that the motion was filed on time and was not challenged by the counsels of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Amaechi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Our position is that our application should take preeminence  of EPT/GOV/PH/M8/2011 and EPT/GOV/PH/I/M9/2011, the lordship should no longer entertain the matters he said.

He urged the Tribunal to grant their application for withdrawal of the petition, adding that the petitioner was not interested in continuing with the matter.

Ruling on the application, the tribunal chairman, Mrs Amina Wambai fixed Thursday July 14, 2011 as date to rule on the motion to withdraw the petition filed by gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Dr Abiye Sekibo challenging the declaration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of the Peoples Democratic Party winner in the April general elections in the state.

He further directed the  counsels to make available evidence of the authorities which they sited during their various presentations within one day to fast track the process of the ruling by the tribunal.

From left: Vice President Namadi Sambo; Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Gen. Jerry Useni, and President Goodluck Jonathan, during the President's meeting with Arewa Consultative Forum in Abuja, yesterday. Photo NAN