By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA – Justice Adamu Bello, whose judgment on February 23, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from conducting gubernatorial elections in five states of the federation next month, yesterday, struck out an application filed before him by three governorship aspirants in the affected states, seeking leave of court to appeal against the verdict.

Those behind the application that was thrown out  were, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr Timi Alaibe, former governor of Kogi State, Mr Audu Abubarkar and former military administrator of Lagos State, Mr Buba Marwa.

Whereas Alaibe is seeking to oust the incumbent governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva from the Government House this year, Abubakar and Marwa have since concluded plans to become the next governors of Kogi and Adamawa states respectively.

Following vehement oppositions by counsel to the five governors that benefitted from the judgment, challenging the legal propriety of their application, the applicants yesterday sought to withdraw their consolidated application.

They pleaded with the court not to dismiss it, but to rather strike it out, as its dismissal may negatively affect their chances at the Appeal Court level.

Consequently, presiding Justice Bello accordingly struck it out yesterday.