The case was, therefore, struck out by the Acting Chairman of the tribunal.
Mr. Ribadu was being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for failing to declare his assets when he was EFCC chair. He has always denied the allegations.
In dismissing the case today, the chair of the tribunal said that the attorney general of the federation has powers under Section 174, to discontinue any litigation relating to a federal offence, at any time before judgement. The tribunal also said that the notice of withdrawal of the case by the Minister of Justice takes precedence over the motion filed by the accused person asking for the dismissal of the charges.
The case was struck out and the bench warrant issued for Ribadu’s arrest was cancelled.
Present in court were Nasir el-Rufai, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and other friends of the former EFCC boss.
Femi Falana, Mr. Ribadu’s lawyer, declined to confirm when he (Ribadu) will be returning to Nigeria.
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Tribunal retains Oni as Ekiti governor .....NEXT
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May 5, 2010
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The Ekiti State Election Tribunal on
Wednesday declared the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate,
Segun Oni as the winner of the 2009
re-run election in the state.
The majority of the tribunal members in a split decision claimed that, Mr. Oni defeated the Action Congress candidate, Kayode Fayemi with 3,000 votes.
Reading the lead judgment, the tribunal’s Chairman, Hamman Barka declared Mr. Oni as the winner with 109,000 votes to Mr. Fayemi’s 106,000 after deductions of 3 - 2 in favour of Oni.
The lead ruling upheld results of all polling units in contested wards except for 5 polling units in Ipoti A & 4 polling units in Orin/Ora Ward while it nullified results of unit 6 in Ifaki Ward.
It also disregarded the resignation of the state’s election commission, Ayoka Adebayo saying her resignation was “not valid and represents a mere assertion of the petitioners.” Mrs. Adebayo resigned during the collation of results in Ekiti state while the election results were being collated saying “she doesn’t want to go against her conscience.” The petition was filed by Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress (AC) against the re-run election in the state claiming the election was rigged in favour of Mr. Oni.
The majority of the tribunal members in a split decision claimed that, Mr. Oni defeated the Action Congress candidate, Kayode Fayemi with 3,000 votes.
Reading the lead judgment, the tribunal’s Chairman, Hamman Barka declared Mr. Oni as the winner with 109,000 votes to Mr. Fayemi’s 106,000 after deductions of 3 - 2 in favour of Oni.
The lead ruling upheld results of all polling units in contested wards except for 5 polling units in Ipoti A & 4 polling units in Orin/Ora Ward while it nullified results of unit 6 in Ifaki Ward.
It also disregarded the resignation of the state’s election commission, Ayoka Adebayo saying her resignation was “not valid and represents a mere assertion of the petitioners.” Mrs. Adebayo resigned during the collation of results in Ekiti state while the election results were being collated saying “she doesn’t want to go against her conscience.” The petition was filed by Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress (AC) against the re-run election in the state claiming the election was rigged in favour of Mr. Oni.