Appeal Court Clears Zamfara APC To Contest 2019 Elections

Naija News report that the Appeal Court’s ruling has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja had affirmed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that barred the All Progressives Congress (APC) from fielding candidates in the general elections in Zamfara State.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the federal high court, Abuja, had in a judgment held that INEC was right to have delisted names of candidates of the APC presented for the elections.

In the judgement delivered on 25th January 2019, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu stated that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral umpire.

As at Thursday, February 22, a 3-man panel of the appeal court, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, held that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to have entertained the suit, that it was an abuse of court process.

He stressed that the suit at the federal high court was filed out of time, that the electoral act provides for 14 days to institute a suit after the cause of action had arisen, the suit was filed 15 days after, and therefore rendered the action incompetent.