Tribunal dismisses petition against Gov. Ayade

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Cross River has dismissed the petition of Mr Fidelis
Ugbo of Labour Party against Gov. Ben Ayade of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Aliyu Maiyaki, dismissed the petition in Calabar on Friday following the withdrawal of the case by Mr Bolutife Olusegun, Counsel to the petitioner.

Ugbo had challenged the declaration of Ayade as the winner of March 28 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Olusegun his counsel had urged the tribunal to strike out the petition rather than dismissal because the petition was still at preliminary stage.

But Ayade’s Counsel, Mr Mba Ukweni, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition because witnesses had been called and documents on the elections tendered before the tribunal.

Also, Counsel to the INEC, Mr Roland Otaru, urged the tribunal to disregard the prayer of the petitioner and dismiss the case rather than striking it out.