Appeal -Court Rejects Gov-Elect In Zamfara

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC  face major setback when the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division refuse to  recognize the  primaries that produced National and state House of Assembly candidates in Zamfara State, including the Governor-elect, Muktar Idris.


The party is also challenged on the Bauchi State governorship seat as a Federal high Court sitting in Abuja dismissed its earlier order halting the collation of Tafawa Balewa LGA results for the governorship election held on March 9 in the state. APC candidate and incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar with 470,570 votes is trailing Senator Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The PDP standard bearer scored 475,888 votes in the governorship poll of March 9 and make-up election of March 23 and is said to be leading in Tafawa Balewa LGA, which is considered a PDP stronghold in Bauchi.

A National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye,  said the commission will conclude the remaining result from Tafawa Balewa LGA and announce the winner. Expectedly, the court verdicts elicited reactions from stakeholder                                                                                                                                                          

 Member of the major opposition party, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, hailed the ruling, just as lawyers outlined the implications of the decisions.

Dissatisfied with State High Court decision, the appellants, Senator Kabiru Marafa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and 129 others through their Counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, approached the Appeal Court and challenged the decision on the ground that the State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit among others.