Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-parliamentary Affairs and APC representative for Ondo South, has withdrawn his lawsuit against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding alleged irregularities in the recent governorship primary.
The decision follows direct intervention from President Bola Tinubu. Ibrahim stated that he chose to honor the President’s request as a gesture to mark Tinubu’s first year in office. This decision came after multiple discussions, including a phone call and an in-person meeting at the Villa that lasted over an hour.
In a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Senator Ibrahim emphasized that his legal challenge was motivated by a desire to uphold internal party democracy, which he claimed was compromised during the APC primary held across Ondo State’s 18 local government areas. The electoral process was overseen by Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State.
Initially, after the April 20, 2024 primary, Ibrahim had contested the results, which declared Aiyedatiwa the winner, and filed litigation against the APC, Aiyedatiwa, and INEC. However, two weeks later, he announced the withdrawal of his case out of respect for President Tinubu.
“The suit is now withdrawn due to the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR,” Ibrahim stated. “The President assured me that he will enhance internal democracy within our party, and asked me to withdraw the case to support this effort. Governor Aiyedatiwa even visited me in Asokoro for several hours after an earlier attempt to meet in Akure.”
Ibrahim reiterated his commitment to improving party democracy and his absolute respect for President Tinubu’s leadership.
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