The Peoples Democratic Party has withdrawn the appeal brought against Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman at the Supreme Court in respect of the pre-election case of the party in Kogi Central Senatorial District, Kogi State.
The withdrawal of the suit, according to a statement issued by Michael Jegede, Special Assistant on Media to Abatemi-Usman, was contained in a letter directed to the Supreme Court, signed by Chief Olusola Oke, National Legal Adviser of the ruling party, and dated February 22, 2012.
The PDP had, beside the appeal brought before the Supreme Court by Salawu Ogembe, opponent of the senator, asked the apex court to declare that it has the power to cancel the primaries that produced Abatemi-Usman as the party’s candidate in the April 2011 general election.
The Supreme Court had on December 16, 2011, in the case between Abatemi-Usman and Ogembe, ruled that the senator, who is the vice-chairman of Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, was the authentic candidate of the party.
After taking the positions of the counsel to all the parties in the suit between the PDP and Abatemi-Usman, the Supreme Court fixed March 30, 2012 for judgement.
In his reaction to the notice of withdrwal of the appeal by the PDP, the senator described it as a welcome development, while promising to remain a loyal member of the party, inspite of the pain he was made to go through in the process.
He added that he will continue to do his best to ensure adequate and robust representation of his people in the discharge of his duty as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.