Contrary To Reports, APC Remains Barred From Zamfara Elections – Ozekhome

Contrary to reports that the Court of Appeal has cleared way for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to vie for various offices in the forthcoming general elections in Zamfara state, the reverse is the case.

Rather, the Sokoto division of the Court of Appeal refused to entertain the motion seeking the enforcement of the judgement of the Zamfara State High Court which asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise candidates of the APC for elections in the state.

Hon Sani Jaji, who earlier filed the motion for enforcement of the Zamfara High Court judgement, made a u-turn to file a notice of discontinuance under Order 11 Rules 1 and 5 of the Court of Appeal Rules.

In the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, a similar motion seeking enforcement of the Zamfara High Court judgement was withdrawn by the counsel who admitted in the open court that the motion ought not to have been filed.

It was gathered that hopes by the APC to field candidates in the coming elections in Zamfara were completely dashed after the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto today upheld the argument of Chief Mike Ozekhome and Isiaka Dikko that the notice of discontinuance filed by Jaji had terminated Muktar Shehu Idris’ request for the court to allow him contest the governorship election and Governor Abdulaziz Yari to contest as a Senatorial candidate of the APC in the state.

The ruling was delivered at a sitting presided over by Justice Jumai Hannatu Sankey, with other members of the panel being Justices Ndukwe Anyanwu and Vincent Abiru.

Clarifying the judgement hours after, Chief Ozekhome posted on his Facebook page: “It was victory for Democracy and the Rule of Law today at the Court of Appeal, Sokoto,when Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, acting for the Senator Marafa group within the APC in the pre-election intra-party feud over the party’s primaries for the gubernatorial, Nass and State Assembly elections coming up on 16th February and 2nd March,2019,respectively,got the Court of Appeal to dismiss APC’s appeal.

“All motions and other court processes emanating from and predicated on the appeal were also dismissed by the 3 persons panel of Justices.

“With this ruling, APC has no candidates for the offices of governor, Nass and House of Assembly in Zamfara state in the forthcoming elections slated for 16th February and 2nd March,2019.

“Here, Senator Marafa and his supporters celebrate after the Court of Appeal’s ruling.And the journey from Sokoto. INEC’s long held position against Governor Yari’s position has thus been vindicated,” wrote the senior advocate.