Pius A. Akubo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who was among those named by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as members of its 13 Presidential Election Petition Legal Team, has rejected the appointment.
After the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party went to court to challenge the victory of APC’s Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election, the APC announced a legal team for President-elect Bola Tinubu.
However, Akubo, who rejected the appointment in a statement he personally signed and released on Wednesday, stated that he had no prior knowledge of the appointment and had not received any official communication from the APC.
He explained that he was taken aback when he learned of his appointment to the APC presidential election petition legal team on social media, and that he is unable to accept the position for personal reasons.
The statement reads in part; “In the last twenty-four (24) hours or so, the social media space has been agog with a trending unsigned letter in respect of appointment of Presidential Election Petition Legal Team by All Progressives Congress (APC) wherein my name is listed as number 10.
“With all due respect, I wish to state that I had no prior knowledge of the said appointment. As a matter of fact, I have not received any official communication on the subject matter hitherto. Suffice it to say that I was taken by surprise to hear of the said appointment via social media.
“In the circumstance, and for personal reasons, I hereby decline the said appointment,” the statement added.