By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT – Dr. Abiye Sekibo, governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the April general elections in Rivers State, weekend, said he withdrew the petition he filed challenging the victory of Governor Chibuike Amaechi at the election tribunal when it became clear to him that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was conniving with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to frustrate every move he made to establish his case at the tribunal.

Sekibo, who dismissed allegations that he opted out because he was settled, said it was impossible for him to access relevant materials to prosecute his case.

According to him, rather than allow his case to be dismissed for lack of substantial evidence at the tribunal, he felt that withdrawing same was the proper thing to do. Sekibo added that if he had allowed the case to be dismissed, such would have conferred legitimacy on the flawed election in the state.

Sekibo said: “I had to take the painful decision of withdrawing my case. Rather than allow our case at the tribunal to be used as a process to confirm the illegality, we should pull out and continue to tell the people our frustration. We don’t want to pursue a case which in reality we are not allowed to pursue.”

Sekibo said he consulted with his party chairman and others at the state level before he withdrew the petition. He added that though the consultation was not far reaching because no congress of the party was convened to take the decision, he nevertheless took the best decision in the circumstance.

He apologised to party members and supporters  who may have felt bitter with the withdrawal just as he reaffirmed his continued membership of the ACN.