The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the application seeking the withdrawal of Hope Democratic Party, HDP, from the petition challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.
Owuru and the HDP had jointly filed a petition before the Tribunal to challenge the victory of Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the poll.
However, a faction of the party led by Poland Tapre subsequently filed an application before the Tribunal praying for the withdrawal of the party as a co-petitioner in the case on the grounds that the petition was filed in the name of the party without its consent.
The faction claimed that Owuru has since been suspended from the party in August 2018, and Tapre has been the National Chairman of the party.
The application was opposed by Owuru’s Legal team
Justice Mohammed Garba, while delivering the ruling, held that HDP and Chief Ambrose Owuru, its Presidential candidate in the February 23 General election, remained consenting plaintiffs in the eyes of the law.
