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Adamawa APC Governorship Ticket Tussle: Court Reserves Date For Judgment

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Latest Political News In Nigeria For Today, Thursday, 21st July, 2022

A Federal High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa state capital presided over by Justice Abdulaziz Anka has on Wednesday reserved a date for judgement in the case filed by Nuhu Ribadu against the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship Candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani.

Ribadu lost the APC governorship ticket to Binani in a one-sided contest during the party’s primary election held on the 27th May, 2022 in Yola, Naija News recalls.

However, the former EFCC boss went to court to seek the annulment of the primaries because of alleged anomalies during the election. He complained of over-voting and vote buying and asked the court to overturn Binani’s victory.

The presiding judge, Justice Abdulazeez Anka, said the date for judgement would be communicated to the parties involved.

Counsel to Ribadu, Ishaka D Dikko SAN while addressing newsmen said “we adopted our originating process and the matter is adjourned for judgement.

“You are aware that the matter is about Nuhu Ribadu challenging the outcome of the primary election, which produced Senator Aishatu Dahiru… Today we are able to adopt the matter and date is reserved for judgement.

“Part of the grounds of our case is that parties delegates from Lamorde did not emerge from special congress and they were allowed to participate in the primary elections. So, that is our contention”.

“We are asking for the nullification of the primary election that was conducted on the 27th of May and in the alternative, to order for fresh conduct of primary election, on the ground of over voting and delegates from Lamorde were allowed to participate in the election as well as there was vote buying during the election”.

Counsel to Ashatu Ahamed Binani, ST Ologunorisan SAN said their position in the case is that “the allegations made by the Plaintiff cannot be entertained by the court because the event that led to them took place several months before 27th of May when the primary election took place, particularly, all the allegations relating to Lamorde local government”.

“The allegations against the delegates from Lamorde local government cannot be entertained in their back and having not joined them as a party, the court cannot competently make any pronouncement on that.

“On the allegation of over voting, we drew the attention of the court to the fact that where there’s allegation of over voting, there are four parameters that must be made.

“One of them is that if the alleged overvoting is deducted from the total score, would the plaintiff still win? That is the question the plaintiff should ask himself.

“The allegation of overvoting, in this case, is two votes and Senator Binani won overwhelmingly with over 150 votes”.

Counsel to Binani, therefore, prayed that the suit be dismissed.