FCT, Abuja -                        The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has on Wednesday rejected the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Movement and its presidential candidate, Pastor Aminchi Habu, challenging the victory of Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23, 2019 election.

The development followed an application by the petitioners’ lawyer, Aliyu Lemu, for the withdrawal of the petition.

CEOAfrica earlier reported that Lemu had earlier informed the five-man tribunal led by Justice Mohammed Garba, that his clients gave the instruction for the withdrawal of the petition.

The request came on the day the petitioners were to open their case.

The respondents comprising the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Buhari and his ruling All Progressives Congress did not oppose the application.

The tribunal in an undisputed ruling subsequently dismissed the petition.

This came less than a week after Bichi opposed the move by the National Chairman of the PDM, Chief Frank Igwebuike, to withdraw the party from the petition.

Bichi’s opposition to Igwebuike’s move was upheld by the tribunal, which dismissed the application for the withdrawal in a ruling delivered on July 18.

The PDM’s petition is one of the three remaining petitions filed before the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the February 23, 2019 poll.