Foul play – Umar Ardo denies withdrawing lawsuit against Governor Fintiri

Ardo, appearing on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme, on Wednesday, January 10, 2023, labeled the purported withdrawal as a "miscarriage of justice."

Ardo had initially sought the nullification of Fintiri's re-election, citing substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, allegations of corrupt practices, and incidents of threats and violence during the electoral process.

Despite facing setbacks with the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissing his petition in November and an earlier defeat at the Tribunal, Ardo remained resolute and escalated the case to the apex court.

During Wednesday's proceedings, Sylvester Imanobe, counsel for the SDP, revealed that the party had garnered 6,000 votes in the election. However, the court stated a distinction between the integrity of the election and numerical strength, prompting Ardo's legal team to withdraw the appeal.

In an immediate response during the breakfast show, Ardo expressed frustration, asserting a "miscarriage of justice" against him. He claimed this was the second time the Supreme Court had treated him unfairly, referencing a 2014 case against ex-President Goodluck Jonathan when he contested the president's re-election bid.

Ardo argued that the law clearly states that no governor or president can hold office for a cumulative period exceeding eight years. He vehemently contested that the number of votes was not a point of contention in his appeal and pleaded for the court to determine the case on its merits.

"I spent a lot of money in going to court from the Tribunal to the Supreme Court. I spent a lot of money in politics. You cannot beat my case at the Supreme Court. There is a huge miscarriage of justice against me. Whatever it is, let the court determine the case on its merit," Ardo declared.