Eight APC contenders in Zamfara appeal against court’s ruling on eligibility

Eight governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State have appealed against two conflicting court rulings on the fielding of candidates in the upcoming election.

An Abuja Federal High Court and a Zamfara State High Court had issued conflicting rulings on the issue.

A member of the group tagged G8, Aminu Sani Jaji, who briefed reporters in Abuja, disclosed that they had filed a consolidated appeal to reverse the decisions of both courts.

Other members of the G8 includes the Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Wakala, Senator Kabiru Marafa, Dauda Lawal Dere, Sagir Hamidu, Defence Minister, Mansur Dan Ali, former Permanent Secretary, Abubabakar Magaji, and former Governor of Zamfara state, Mahmoud Aliyu Shinkafi.

An Abuja Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had last Friday upheld the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to accept candidates of the APC in Zamfara State for the general elections.

The ruling was based on the argument that APC failed to conduct valid primaries within the stipulated time, noting that the matter could not be blamed on INEC.

But, the high Court sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State on the same day, ruled that the governing APC actually conducted primaries in the state and should be allowed to present candidates for the general elections.

The Zamfara court specifically directed INEC to accept candidates from the party for the elections.

But, Jaji who chairs the House committee on national security and intelligence, maintained that both decisions of the courts cannot stand since the party had picked candidates vying for various elective position through a consensus arrangement.

Expressing optimism that his group would triumph at the appeal court, he alleged that the judiciary in Zamfara must have been compromised to do the bidding of Governor Abdulaziz Yari, and Senator Ahmed Yerima to impose their cronies as candidates in the election.

Jaji explained that the party settled for a consensus arrangement with a power sharing formulae of 60 per cent for members of the G8 and 40 per cent for the Yari and Yerima groups.

He assured that notwithstanding the crises rocking the state chapter of the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari would sweep the poll.