When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, the two motions were withdrawn because they have been overtaken by events since access had already been granted on Tuesday to Atiku and PDP.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has explained why he and the party withdrew the application for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant access to his legal team on the inspection of documents related to the February 25 election.
Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, said in a statement on Wednesday that it became pertinent to make some clarifications following “insinuations and mischievous reporting” of the withdrawal of the application.
He said, “The Court of Appeal had granted the request of Atiku and the PDP to be granted unfettered access to the INEC documents used for the presidential election.
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“On the 10th of March, 2023, Atiku and PDP filed a motion (number 12M) ex parte and affidavit of urgency to ensure the implementation of the court order. The court, however, asked that they put Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress APC, and the INEC on notice. Consequently, they filed motion on notice (number 13M) and motion ex parte (number 13MA) for substituted service on Bola Tinubu.
“But on Tuesday at a conference meeting between lawyers of the PDP, LP, APC, and INEC, access was eventually granted to the legal team of PDP by INEC.
“When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, the two motions were withdrawn because they have been overtaken by events since access had already been granted on Tuesday to Atiku and PDP.”