The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin yesterday fixed July 24 to rule in a motion seeking to dismiss the petition against the declaration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed as winner of the April 11 governorship elections.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its governorship candidate, Comrade Abubakar Abdulraheem, filed the petition seeking to nullify Ahmed's election over alleged exclusion.

Though hearing in the petition has not commenced, counsel to INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bolu Agbaje, filed a motion, urging the court to dismiss the petition saying it has been abandoned.

The three-man tribunal chaired by Justice Maryam Bwari would also rule on the application by the petitioners' counsel seeking the issuance of pre-hearing notice on the petition.

The INEC's counsel argued that the petition had been abandoned by the petitioners' counsel having failed to file a reply within seven days to the replies of the first and second respondents.

"The seven days ultimately elapsed on the 31st of May and any application made after 31st of May is incompetent hence the petition has been abandoned. The petition should be dismissed so that your lordships can go back home," he said. Counsel to the third and fourth respondents, Governor Ahmed and All Progressives Congress (APC) also supported the argument.

But the petitioners' counsel, Abdullahi Salihu, opposed the respondents', stating that in opposition to the application of INEC, they had filed a 15-paragraph counter-affidavit attached with nine exhibits. He argued that authorities cited by the respondents are in support of the petition and not the respondents.

Salihu however urged the tribunal to dismiss the application"for having no leg at all to stand and consequently grant our own application."

The tribunal therefore fixed July 24th to rule on the two applications which are expected to determine whether or not the case would continue.