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Election: INEC approves Zamfara APC candidates’ participation

Ismaila Sanni
Ismaila Sanni
INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has approved the participation of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidates for Zamfara State in the general election which starts on Saturday.

The approval followed a Court of Appeal ruling to that effect on Thursday.

“Consequently, the Commission has today, in compliance with the said order, restored the APC to the ballot in the National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 2019,” INEC declared in a statement issued by its Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye.

It would be recalled that INEC refused to include APC candidates in Zamfara State on its list for the general election, claiming the primary election that produced them was not conducted within the time frame it (INEC) approved.

But in a ruling on Thursday, the Appeal Court stated that the Federal High Court which supported the position of INEC on the issue erred in law.

The case was not filed within 14 days as stated by the law.

It therefore set aside the ruling of the court, thus giving room for Zamfara State candidates to participate.

Responding to the Court of Appeal ruling, INEC said in Okoye’s statement:

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has consistently maintained that it will always obey court judgments and orders.

“In the case of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, the Federal High Court, Abuja and the Zamfara State High Court issued conflicting orders relating to the participation of the APC in the two strands of elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 2019.

“While the former ruled that the APC, having failed to conduct party primaries cannot field candidates in the said election, the latter decided that it can field candidates having conducted valid party primaries.

“However, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division on 21st February 2019 set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja for ‘lack or want of jurisdiction on the part of the lower court.’ This in effect means that the Zamfara State High Court’s decision that the APC can field candidates for the National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections is the only valid and subsisting order.

“Consequently, the Commission has today, in compliance with the said order, restored the APC to the ballot in the National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 2019.”

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