A Yola Division of the Federal High Court has nullified the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that produced Senator Aishatu Binani as the party’s governorship candidate.
The court gave the ruling on Friday holding that APC has no candidate to represent it in the girth coming general elections.
On May 27, Binani defeated the former Governor, Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla and Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and emerged winner of the APC governorship primaries in Adamawa state.
She scored 430 votes making her the second female flag bearer of a major political party in Nigeria.
How the court ruled
Mr. Ribadu had instituted the suit seeking to nullify the primary election on the grounds that the results of the election showed that there was overvoting.
He, therefore, prayed the court to order a fresh primary to be held in the state.
Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Abdulaziz Anka, declared that the primary election that produced Ms. Binani is invalid.
The judge said “The first defendant (APC) cannot field a candidate for the 2023 general elections; the primary election is invalid, and the court, therefore, sees the return of Aishatu Ahmed Binani as unlawful. The plea for fresh elections is hereby refused.”
The judge who refused to order a fresh election urged Mr. Ribadu to approach the court of appeal if he is not satisfied with the decision.
