Lagos — The ActionCongress in Bayelsa yesterday withdrew its suit against INEC at the Federal High Court inYenagoa.

The party had prayed for an order of the court to restrain the commission from using the same electoral officials in the 2007 election for the conduct of the re-rungovernorship election on May 24.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Douye Federikumo, told the court that his client decided to withdraw the suit as a result ofa meeting held in Abuja on May 14 between the INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, andstakeholders in Bayelsa.

He said Iwu agreed to the demand of theopposition parties, by promising to changeall the electoral officials in the state,including the state resident commissioner, Dr Humphrey Nwangene.

Federikumo said Iwu had assured them that all the officials would be redeployed ahead of the re-run election, as was done in Kogi and Adamawa States. "We have therefore, decided to give INECthe benefit of the doubt by withdrawing thecase," he added.

In his response, counsel to INEC, Mr Clement Oha, said his client had no objection to the withdrawal of the suit by the plaintiff.Justice L. Faji, therefore, ordered the Counsel to the plaintiff to tender an apology to the defendant, andsubsequently threw out the case.