By Barnabas Manyam (In Yola, Adamawa State)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State has rejected a Federal High Court judgement by Justice Abdullahi Anka, which barred the party from fielding a governorship candidate in the coming 2023 general election.
The APC described the judgment as not only a "kangaroo one but unjudicial and callous".
However, Justice Anka, had, in a judgment he delivered on Friday October 14, 2022, in a suit brought by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and main challenger of the APC gubernatorial candidate at the primary, Senator AIshatu Dahiru Binani, ruled that the APC gubernatorial primary conducted on 27th day of May 2022 was invalid because of over voting by two votes.
Justice Anka also ruled that section 84 of the new Electoral Act, therefore prohibited Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani from contesting the election because of the case of proven irregularities as argued by the lawyer to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, also of the APC.
On the basis of this, the Judge said the respondent, which is the APC, will not field a candidate in the next general elections for the post of Governor of Adamawa State because the political party failed to properly elect a candidate as stipulated by the electoral laws. The Judge said the Electoral Act 2022 was violated by over voting and other irregularities, and therefore, the APC would be excluded from the next year's governorship election.
Justice Abdullahi Anka also pointed out that there is manifest over voting, and the primary elections, he said, would not be re-contested, and that the judgment had voided the earlier primary conducted and another one would not be conducted, which means that APC will be excluded completely from the 2023 elections for not having a governorship ticket.
The Adamawa APC, at a press conference at the weekend, said it will appeal the judgement in order to reclaim it's rights, expressing confidence that it will not only reclaim it's mandate but will win the gubernatorial election in the state in the 2023 general elections.
Secretary of the party, Dr. Raymond Chidama, who read the statement to newsmen in Yola, Adamawa state capital, however, called for calm, adding that the party will not rest on its oars until justice is given and done in the interest of peace and tranquillity.
He said in the wake of the “harsh court kangaroo judgement", the party convened a stakeholder's meeting with the State Working Committee of the party, the State Executives, and the Local Government Chairmen of the party, to chart a way forward, where it was agreed that the party should move to reclaim it's mandate.
Chidama also urged all the party stakeholders, especially the aspirants, to remain faithful and law abiding and ensure the prevalence of peace and order in the party as it struggles to reclaim it's mandate.
The lawyer to the APC, Barrister Sule J Abdul, had also hinted of a judicious battle to reposition the APC before the eyes of the law and the public.
Abul, who is reputed to be one of the most brilliant lawyers in the North East zone, however pointed out immediately after the judgement that APC would commence further judicial battles to position his client in a proper perspective, unlike what was pointed out during the judgment. NNL.