Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Gombe has granted permission to Muhammad Lamido of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to withdraw the petition challenging the election of Senator Danjuma Goje for Gombe Central Senatorial district.
Goje was returned elected with the highest votes of 110,116 followed by Nasiru Nono of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 39,760 votes.
Lamido came in a distant third having scored 8,397 votes.
The PRP candidate had urged the tribunal to declare the election invalid on the grounds of alleged corrupt practices of bribing electoral officials and security agents and widespread vote buying across the district.
Justice Raphael Ajuwa, in his ruling on Thursday, held that the permission was granted based on the application filed by Lamido.
Lamido’s counsel, Babangida Muhammad, had in an application for withdrawal, said the decision to withdraw, followed the outcome of a ‘family meeting’ where his client’s uncles pleaded with him to withdraw the matter and focus on his business.
Goje’s counsel, Luka Haruna, however, argued that even if Lamido went on with the petition, it would amount to nothing.
