Elections: Zamfara Gov Defends Campaign, Asks INEC To Respect High Court Order

Elections: Zamfara Gov Defends Campaign, Asks INEC To Respect High Court Order

The Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, says he and other APC members in the state have continued to campaign because there is no case presently before the court.

Consequently, the governor said the party had a right to conduct its campaigns contrary to the information being shared in some quarters.

At a media briefing in the state on Saturday, he called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, which has said the party would not field candidates in the state, to comply with a court order which declared the primary elections conducted in the state as lawful and valid.

“We waited for over 120 days to get the judgment from the state High Court,” Governor Yari said.

The governor, who insisted that the APC complied with all procedures in conducting primaries in Zamfara, said it was shocking that INEC is maintaining a contrary view.

He added, “Up till now, there is no superior court that punctured this judgment. So, therefore, what we did, we did it right and we respected the rule of law. So, therefore, we are advising INEC to comply with the order given to them by the court.”

Conflicting Judgements

INEC had, in a statement dated January 30, maintained that the APC did not conduct primaries in Zamfara and would not field candidates in the governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.

In the statement, the commission acknowledged that there are two judgments on the matter – one from the State High Court in Gusau and the other from a Federal High Court in Abuja.

“The former judgement clearly said that the APC conducted primaries in Zamfara State, contrary to the position of the commission,” INEC said.

“On the other hand, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries and therefore is ineligible to field candidates for the elections.”
The commission opted to comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which backed its position on the matter.