Just In: Court Nullifies APC Governorship Primary

The Federal High Court sitting in Yola has cancelled the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State.

It said the party does not have a governorship candidate for the 2023 general election.

The court ruled on Friday that the APC flouted its rules and provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the Adamawa governorship primary on May 27 and 28.

It said the result of the election could therefore not stand.

Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani) made history by beating six other male aspirants, to become winner of the primary. She was accordingly declared the ticket bearer.

His closest rival in the primary, Nuhu Ribadu, however faulted the primary and headed to court to ask that it be nullified.

Ribadu alleged that delegates from Lamorde, one of the 21 local government areas of the state, did not emerge from a special congress but were illegally allowed to participate in the primary.

Ribadu also alleged over voting and vote buying, asking for a fresh election that could pass all the tests of credence.

Delivering his judgement on Friday, Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the Federal High Court 1, Yola, said the primary was conducted in substantial non-compliance with party guidelines and other relevant laws.

Although he dismissed the issue of vote buying, he specified the issues of over voting and fielding of delegates from Lamurde local government area where a congress was affirmed not to have been conducted.

He cancelled the primary without ordering a fresh one.

While supporters of Nuhu Ribadu have hailed the judgement as reflecting their contention that the primary was not properly conducted, Binani’s camp vowed to challenge the judgement.

Counsel to Binani, Tomi Ologunorisa, a SAN who spoke to newsmen immediately after the judgement, said it would be appealed without delay.

“We have listened to his Lordship. Our responsibility now is to study the judgement, but one thing I can assure is that we will appeal the judgement. We will do that within the next two weeks,” the senior advocate said.