Supreme Court on Friday nullified All Progressives Congress (APC),
participation in 2019 elections and declares party with second highest
votes as winner in Zamfara.
participation in 2019 elections and declares party with second highest
votes as winner in Zamfara.
The Apex court heard two election appeals seeking to ascertain
authentic candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), candidates
in Zamfara in the last general elections.
authentic candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), candidates
in Zamfara in the last general elections.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC and Malam Sanusi
Dan-Alhaji had instituted the case on the primary election conducted by
the party for the nomination of candidates to participate in the last
general election.
Dan-Alhaji had instituted the case on the primary election conducted by
the party for the nomination of candidates to participate in the last
general election.
Chief Lateef Fagbemi,SAN, Counsel for Dan-Alhaji, while adopting his
address, prayed the apex court to restore the Feb.13 judgment of the
Zamfara High Court which allowed APC to field candidates in the general
election.
address, prayed the apex court to restore the Feb.13 judgment of the
Zamfara High Court which allowed APC to field candidates in the general
election.
Fagbemi submitted that the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto
Division, which disqualified APC from nominating candidate for the
election on the grounds that the party did not conduct lawful primary
should be set aside.
Division, which disqualified APC from nominating candidate for the
election on the grounds that the party did not conduct lawful primary
should be set aside.
He further argued that the lower court erred in law, adding that the decision was a miscarriage of justice.
Fagbemi said the APC had shown proof the party conducted a free and
fair primary to elect the candidates that contested the governorship
election, the National Assembly and the House of Assembly elections
respectively.
fair primary to elect the candidates that contested the governorship
election, the National Assembly and the House of Assembly elections
respectively.
However, Chief Mike Ozekhome,SAN, Counsel for Sen. Kabiru Marafa and
142 others, all of the APC urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal and
affirm the judgment of the Appeal Court.
142 others, all of the APC urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal and
affirm the judgment of the Appeal Court.
Ozekhome submitted that the judgment was a copious description of how
the APC in Zamfara failed to conduct primary election in accordance
with the Electoral Act, party guideline and the 1999 Constitution.
the APC in Zamfara failed to conduct primary election in accordance
with the Electoral Act, party guideline and the 1999 Constitution.
He said the process failed both legal and integrity tests, adding
that the exercise was not conducted to produce candidates for the last
general election as his clients were fenced out.
that the exercise was not conducted to produce candidates for the last
general election as his clients were fenced out.
Mr Tanimu Inuwa,SAN, Counsel for Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) aligned himself with the argument canvassed by
Ozekhome.
Commission (INEC) aligned himself with the argument canvassed by
Ozekhome.
He further explained that the electoral body did not supervise any primary conducted by the party as mandated by law.
Inuwa argued that the Court of Appeal in Sokoto was right to have
stopped the APC from fielding candidates in the 2019 general election in
Zamfara.
stopped the APC from fielding candidates in the 2019 general election in
Zamfara.
Inuwa therefore, urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
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