Deferring to presidential intervention, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Ondo South in the Senate and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, has withdrawn the suit filed against the party, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged irregularities in the party’s governorship primary conducted in the State last month.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Senator Ibrahim attributed the withdrawal of the suit to series of interventions made by President Bola Tinubu on phone and physical meeting held with him at the Presidential Villa.
Recall that the Ondo South Senator had after the conduct of the direct APC primary election held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, across the 18 local government areas in the State, contested the outcome and subsequently dragged APC, the winner of the primary election, Governor Aiyedatiwa, and INEC before a Federal High Court.
He said the litigation was not about himself but for the sole purpose of ensuring internal party democracy, which he alleged was bastardised in the Ondo State APC governorship primary election conducted across the 18 LGAs and 203 Wards in the State by APC electoral panel headed by Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State .
But, two weeks after the suit was filed, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim announced to journalists that he was withdrawing the case as a mark of respect for President Tinubu.
Ibrahim said: “The suit is now withdrawn due to the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. The President called me, had a meeting with me, and assured me that he will as the leader of the party improve on internal democracy within our party, and i will need to withdraw the case to enable him to chart a way forward.
“The governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, earlier visited my Asokoro residence for several hours after another unsuccessful visit to my hotel room in Akure.
“I cannot disobey the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the issue I am fighting for is not personal. It is simply to improve internal democracy to which the President has promised improvement. My respect for the President is absolute!
“Let me use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for the words of wisdom and encouragement during my meeting with him which lasted over one hour and his various interactions with me on the telephone during which he emphasized his commitment to internal democracy over and over again.
“The withdrawal of this legendary suit is concise with the first anniversary of Mr. President’s incredible performance in office, and this is my gift of the “cake” of the first anniversary!”