*Tribunal rules on 18 September
Katsina State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has fixed Sept 18 for ruling on the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Musa Nashuni, to withdraw the petition against Gov. Aminu Masari.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ali Garba, made the statement on Thursday in Katsina during the sitting of the tribunal.
He said that the tribunal would give its verdict that day as both the petitioners and respondents did not object to the decision of the petitioners to withdraw their case.
Prof. George Ogunyemi, counsel to the petitioners, told the tribunal that his clients deposited a motion on notice on August 26, to withdraw their case against Masari and other respondents.
He added that they had also given him their consent for the withdrawal of their case.
“My Lord, he who fights and run away, leaves to fight another day; we pray that the court would not grant the respondent any cost,“ he said
Mr Lateef Fabegmi (SAN), counsel to Masari of the APC, said that the respondents had no objection to the request of the PDP and its candidate to withdraw their petition against his client.
“My lord, the petitioners have taken the path of honour, hence, their decision to withdraw their petition.
“Their case is like that of a drowning man who wants to drown together with the people close to him and we are not requesting any cost from them,“ he said
Mr Hassan Liman (SAN) Counsel to INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner said that his client gave all the necessary support to the petitioners to inspect INEC election materials but they failed to do so.
He said that the flimsy excuse given by the petitioners, that INEC frustrated them from inspecting the materials was not true.
“My lord, we support their request to withdraw their case,’’ he said.