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  • Crisis hits Zamfara APC, as Marafa announces revival of own faction

    Crisis hits Zamfara APC, as Marafa announces revival of own faction

    The crisis has hit the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Zamfara state as Senator Kabiru Marafa and his followers regrouped in Kaduna on Sunday night announcing the revival of their faction.

    The senator who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the 7th and 8th National Assembly announced the reincarnation of his faction in protest to the exclusion of himself and his followers from the recent meeting of the APC in the state.

    Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Sunday night during the breakout session of a meeting with hundreds of his followers who came from Zamfara, that there have been two factions in APC running simultaneously since the Matawalle era.

    He also disclosed that the crisis rocking the party in the last six years was a result of interests from political heavyweights in the state, adding that the crisis led to the ruling party losing major elections in the state, except for President Tinubu who won Zamfara in the 2023 presidential election where he served as the coordinator for Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization. 

    Exonerating himself from the state’s crisis, he dispelled the belief that it was his faction that took APC to court in 2019, explaining that, the Zamfara APC conducted an illegal primary and went to the court seeking the legality of the process, an action he said led to them joining the group in court before the supreme court judgment that awarded the whole state to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) came.

    Marafa stated that the decision to re-establish his faction came because Zamfara state APC cannot do without him, thus the need to assemble his disciples and mobilize for grassroots followership from polling unit to the state level.

    He lamented the spate of insecurity ravaging the state while stressing that the people are under siege, as their economy and other activities are grounded as a result of insurgency confronting the state.

    “The essence of the meeting is just to see ourselves, congratulate ourselves and commiserate with one another, especially over the unfortunate happenings in Zamfara occasioned by the insecurity that is ravaging the state that is if it has not grounded the state. We witnessed the 2019 unprecedented fight between our faction and that of the government of the day then. That was former governor Yari who led the APC losing the whole of Zamfara state but not like it was erroneously quoted that we caused the problem. No.

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    “The government of the day caused the problem because they are the ones that said, these are the who and who that must be filed by the party for the election. So, the only thing we did was to say that we are not in agreement with that and we are going to contest that.

    “Election was held and we were not satisfied. Again as erroneously believed by the people that we went to court, no. The government of the day went to court. I want people to get this very clear. The government of the day conducted an illegal primary and went to court to legalize the illegal exercise, and that was when we joined them in the court to say No, they did not conduct any primary election. 

    “That was the beginning of the crisis and it went through to the Supreme Court and four days to the inauguration of the governors Supreme Court passed a judgment that annulled all the elections in Zamfara state and awarded the whole state to PDP. So I want people to know that the only thing we did was to stand by our rights and what happened, happened.

    “After it, there was realignment. APC said come let us reconcile and we did. We dissolved all our structures. That is the Marafa faction and we affirmed the Yari faction. We did everything within our power to support the Yari faction over time. Then came the Mai Mala Bumi-led Executive that again handed the state over to the government of the day headed by Governor Mohammed Matawalle and we went back to trenches again.

    “After that, there was another realignment again. That saw the political realignment that saw all the political heavyweights in Zamfara and we all formed one big family and went into the election. But unfortunately, some people were not happy. They went into the peace accord half heatedly and they sabotaged the whole thing, doing anti-party and it happened that I lost the election the governor lost the election and our APC House of Assembly members lost general elections except the wing that we headed.

    “I was the coordinator of Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization in Zamfara to the Glory of God we were able to convince people and Tinubu won Zamfara state. Since that time, I have not discussed nor sat with my supporters so after one year in office by this government we deemed it necessary, timely, wise, and convenient now to see ourselves and commiserate with people who lost their loved ones. Those who were abducted and those released. Those that are still in captivity, died and so on and so forth.

    “Now shortly after we announced this meeting, suddenly APC came alive in Zamfara state. For three years, there was never a single meeting in Zamfara. Suddenly APC said they have called a meeting of who is who and those that matter in Zamfara and I wonder, whether you like me or not I am somebody in Zamfara APC and without me, Zamfara state APC is never complete. I’m not saying that I’m the only one. If anybody says it’s complete, let him lead the way.

    “So because of that now we introduce the third agenda. We said okay since you have accepted, that there are two factions in Zamfara. I have never seen it done anywhere in the world where you are in charge. God gives you power them you now recognize another power and say that there are two powers in the state.

    “So they now called the two factions and said that they are the owners of APC and they have called a meeting that they want everybody. Then, we said fine. So since this is what they said, in line with our tradition we don’t look for trouble so we are going to re-established our own faction and we are going to do it from polling units to the state level. 

    “Therefore, we are going to reincarnate our faction which we dissolved in favour of the Yari faction then because it was the faction that was recognized by the APC at that time and since we agreed to come together we thought there was no need to deceive ourselves to say let’s go to Marafa faction and the Yari faction. So that’s what Matawalle did as a leader of the party since he was the governor.

    “He was governor and the party was handed over to him and when we made the ground alliance Yari said his faction stayed and Matawalle accepted. So anywhere there is meeting in Zamfara, two factions are recognized. They will say this is the leader of Yari faction, this is the Leader of the Matawalle faction. I have never in my life heard of that. But since that was what Matawalle wanted, I had to wish him well as my friend at that time. But now that they have excluded us in the APC, we want to gather ourselves.

    “From today, I have directed my followers to reincarnate our faction from polling unit to state level because that’s what the leaders of APC want. There is always an implication in whatever you do. Even if you decide to follow somebody, there is implications. We have been on that path in the past and we know the road.” He said.

  • Zamfara APC moves to resolve internal crisis

    Zamfara APC moves to resolve internal crisis

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has begun moves aimed at addressing the challenges that are threatening the peace and unity of the party.

    Towards this end, the party has initiated a monthly meeting in order to bring together all its members for the purpose of unity.

    According to a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, the meeting is being conducted across all the 14 local government areas of the state and attended by all critical stakeholders, as well as state party executives from the local governments and their wards executives, youths, and women.

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    In Gusau Local Government Area, the meeting was attended and chaired by the state Chairman of the party, Tukur Danfulani, while in Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji, it was attended by the immediate past chairman of the party, Lawali Liman, and the state secretary of the party, Ibrahim Dangaladima.

    A former state secretary of the party, Sani Musa, attended the meeting at Talata-Mafara, while in the other local government areas, notable party chieftains including members of the House of Representatives and state assembly members elected under the party’s platform were in attendance.

    The meeting also appreciated individual and collective contributions of leaders and elders, especially welfare packages from the state leader of the party and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed, and Senator Abdulaziz Yari, among others.

    “The party leaders and representatives also reviewed the security concerns that have bedeviled Zamfara State in particular and the region in general, among other crucial issues.

  • Supreme Court receives records on appeal by Zamfara governor-elect, others

    The Supreme Court has received the records of proceedings at the lower courts in relation to the appeal filed by Zamfara State’s governor-elect, Mukhtar Idris and 37 others, against the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto.

    The compilation and transmission of records by an appellant, and the receipt of such records by the Supreme Court are major requirements for a competent appeal.

    The Court of Appeal in Sokoto had, in a judgment some weeks ago, faulted the primary elections conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state prior to the last general elections.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), acting on the Appeal Court’s judgment, has failed to issue certificate of return to Idris (the governor-elect) and others, who are also members of the APC, elected to the state’s House of Assembly.

    Idris and others are, by their appeal, seeking among others, the setting aside of the judgment by the Appeal Court in Sokoto.

    Read also: Rivers dispute: Supreme Court seals APC’s fate, rejects its three appeals

    It was learnt that, although the records of appeal has been received at the Registry of the Supreme Court, a date it yet to be set for the hearing of the appeal.

    The Nation further learnt that parties to the appeal are required to file, serve and exchange their various briefs of argument before a date could be set for the hearing of the appeal.

    A senior court official informed The Nation that in view of the urgency involved, the case being election-related, the court could be moved to abridge time.

    The official said that the court may abridge the time for parties to file and serve their processes because of the nature of the case and the urgency involved.”

    Idris and others had last week, written to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, drawing his attention to the notice of appeal filed at the Supreme Court.

    In the letter dated April 2, 2019, authored by their lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), Idris and others argued that the judgement by the Court of Appeal in Sokoto contained no positive or direct order.

    Idris and others added that, even if there was an order arising from the judgement, they, under the law, are entitled to  21 days within which to appeal, therefore, putting the judgement in abeyance, until after the expiration of the 21days.

    They argued that, as it relates to the current case, their party (APC Zamfara) still has 21days existing along with their constitutional right of appeal.

    Part of the letter reads: “It is worthy of note that the purported judgement of the Court of Appeal, has no any positive or direct order.

    “But, assuming there is even a court order arising from the said judgement, we still have 21 days within which to appeal, thus, putting into abeyance the said judgement until after the laps of the said 21days.

    “In the case at hand, the parties still have 21days existing side by side with their constitutional right of appeal.

    “Finally, we urge INEC to abide fully with the provision of Section 143 of the Electoral Act by releasing the certificate of return to Zamfara State governor-elect as well as all the state members-elect.”

    They argued that it is the provision of Section 143(1) of the Electoral Act that: “If the election tribunal or the court, as the case may be, determined that a candidate returned and elected was not validly elected, then, if notice of appeal against that decision is given within 21day from the date of the decision, the candidate returned as elected shall, notwithstanding the contrary decision of the election tribunal or the court, remain in office pending the determination of the appeal.”

     

  • Updated: Court nullifies Zamfara APC primaries for gov, assembly elections

    The Court of Appeal Sokoto Division on Monday set aside the judgment delivered by the Zamfara High Court, allowing the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field candidates in the 2019 Election.

    The appeal was filed by Sen. Kabiru Marafa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and 129 others through his Counsel, Mr Mike Ozheokome , SAN.

    Respondents are Kabiru Liman-Danalhaji and 139 others represented by Mr Mahmud Magaji SAN as lead Counsel.

    Delivering the lead judgment, which was adopted by two other Justices Tijjani Abubakar and Jamilu Tukur, Justice Tom Yakubu, held that the lower court failed in its duty to properly evaluate the evidence before it.

    Yakubu said judges have the legal power to produce judgment and reach decisions with reason, noting that in the instance case it was not done.

    “I am convinced that the lower Court has failed to evaluate the evidence before reaching the decision.

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    ” The Appeal Court have power in law to access pieces of evidence on appeal, which we have done.

    ”Based on available facts the respondents did not contradict the INEC evidence on conducting the said primary election” Yakubu said.

    The Presiding judge, said “documented evidence has upper consideration than oral ones”.

    Justice Yakubu held that the plaintiffs being card-carrying party members and aspirants in the said primary election have legal capacity to institute the suit.

    He added that Federal, States and FCT High Courts have jurisdiction to entertain such matter.

    The judges agreed that the judgment should serve as “bitter lesson” for political parties as they ought to follow legitimate guidelines and rules.

    “Domestic affairs of political party activities must act within the confines of the law in dealing with party members and elections” the judges agreed.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that a Zamfara High Court recognised the primary election the produced governorship, state and national assembly candidates held by APC in the state and declared that INEC accepts the party candidates for the elections.

    Unsatisfied with State High Court decision, the appellants, approached the appeal court challenging the decision on the ground that the State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit among others.

    NAN recalled that similar case was instituted before the same appeal court by Rep. Aminu Jaji, a Governorship aspirant and member representing Kauran Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency and was dismissed after Jaji withdrew.

  • INEC clears Zamfara APC for 2019 polls

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State eligible to present candidates for the general elections, following a ruling by the Court of Appeal.

    The APC in the state had previously been barred from presenting candidates for the elections following the internal crisis in the party on account of which it could not carry out its primaries wihin the time span set by INEC.

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday overruled the lower court on technical ground.

    There had been two conflicting rulings from two courts of the same jurisdiction, one sitting in Zamfara and the other in Abuja.

    While the Zamfara court ruled in favour of the ruling party, the Abuja high court ruled against the party, which therefore forced INEC to take a decision.

    However, the Appeal Court ruling on Thursday has changed the narrative as INEC, in a statement signed by the National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said that the commiasion has complied with the court order.

    The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has consistently maintained that it will always obey court judgments and orders.

    “ln the case of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State. the Federal High Court Abuja and the Zamfara State High Court issued conflicting orders relating to the participation of the APC in the two strands of elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March, 20l9.

    “While the former ruled that the APC, having failed to conduct party primaries, could not field candidates in the said election, the latter decided that it could field candidates, having conducted valid party primaries.

    “However, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division on 21st February 2019 set aside thejudgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja for “lack or want of jurisdiction on the part on the lower court.”

    “This, in effect, means that the Zamfam State High Court’s decision that the APC can field candidates for the National Assembly, governorship and State Assembly elections is the only valid and subsisting order.

    “Consequently, the Commission has today, in compliance with the said order, restored the APC to the ballot in the National Assembly, govemorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March, 2019. “

  • Appeal Court didn’t clear Zamfara APC candidates—Ozekhome

    Lawyer to the Senator Kabiru Marafa faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) confirmed yesterday that the judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja given on Thursday, set aside the January 27, 2019 judgment by Justice Ijeoma Ojulwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Justice Ojukwu had, in the judgment, held among others that there was no evidence before her court that the APC in Zamfara conducted valid primaries for the purpose of producing candidates for this year’s general elections.

    The decision of the Court of Appeal on Thursday, setting aside Justice Ojukwu’s judgment, for lack of jurisdiction, has since been interpreted by many to mean that the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should now accept candidates from Zamfara APC; a position Ozekhome faulted.

    He argued that since the Court of Appeal only set aside the judgment but failed to make a consequential order directing INEC to accept candidates from Zamfara APC, it implies that the earlier decision by the electoral body, refusing the party’s candidates, still stands.

    In two separate documents issued yesterday – a press release and a letter to INEC Chairman, both of which he personally signed – Ozekhome urged INEC to reject candidates from Zamfara APC on the grounds that “nothing has changed,” despite the Appeal Court judgment given in Abuja  on February 21, 2019.

  • Zamfara APC:Marafa accepts Appeal Court’s decision

    The leader of one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State,Senator Kabiru Marafa on Friday accepted Thursday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal that paved the way for the party to contest all elections in the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said it had decided to relist the party’s candidates in the state for elections on account of the court’s ruling.

    “This is what Allah has decided and destined, we have accepted it,” Marafa said in a statement.

    He added: “We tried our best but Allah knows the wisdom behind this. I have said it, that whatever comes out from the court, we will open our hands and accept it as Allah’s will. What we are fighting is injustice and nothing personal.

    “I’m appealing to my teeming supporters to be law abiding and shun anything that would cause confusion and breach of public peace.

    “Please come out massively to vote for President Buhari. And for other elections vote for the candidates that will protect you and your properties in senatorial and house of representatives elections. Vote according to your conscience.

    “We have already filed an appeal at the Sokoto division of the appeal court. It will come up soon. We will pursue it to its logical conclusion.

    “I sincerely thank all the good people within and outside the state that supported us in standing up to the tyrannical tendencies of Gov Yari and his backers.”

  • Confusion over fate of APC in Rivers

    …as INEC clears party in Zamfara

    Following the reprieve for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara state allowing them to field candidates in the 2019 general elections, there is now confusion as to the fate of the party in Rivera state.

    There have been different rulings on the situation in Rivers state with the party holding onto the ruling which upheld the order of stay of execution given by the Court of Appeal by the Supreme Court.

    But the commission has insisted that there is no concrete order from the Supreme Court ordering it to accept the list of the party’s candidates in Rivers state.

    INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood said there was no relationship between the issue in Zamfara and the situation in Rivers, adding that the Commission had to jettison its earlier stance to exclude the APC in Zamfara based on the judgement of a Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered that APC be restored on the ballot in the National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 2019 respectively.

    But Professor Yakubu however insisted that the APC remained excluded from the elections in Rivers state citing a judgment of the Supreme Court, while apparently making reference to the judgment of Justice Sidi Barge of the apex court, which upheld the order of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, by Justice Chiwendu Nworgu, nullifying the All Progressives Congress primaries in Rivers State, Professor Yakubu insisted that the chances of the APC in Rivers was foreclosed.

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    Responding to questions on the situation in Rivers, he said he was aware of a ruling of Supreme Court of February 11, 2019 delivered by Justice Olabode Rhodes Vivour, which upheld an order of stay of execution of the Court of Appeal of the judgment of Justice Nworgu of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, the INEC chairman said the ruling has not been brought to his attention.

    He said: “I am not aware there is any live order in the case of Rivers that INEC has not obeyed. By Thursday, I was aware there was a Court of Appeal judgment but everybody knows what the judgment is. I don’t know there is any live order that INEC has not obeyed in the case of Rivers.“

  • A/Court didn’t clear Zamfara APC’s candidates, Ozekhome insists

    Lawyer to the Senator Kabiru Marafa faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) confirmed on Friday that the judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja given on Thursday set aside the January 27, 2019 judgment by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Justice Ojukwu had, in the judgment, held among others that there was no evidence before her court that the APC in Zamfara conducted valid primaries for the purpose of producing candidates for this year’s general elections.

    The decision of the Court of Appeal on Thursday, setting aside Justice Ojukwu’s judgment, for lack of jurisdiction, has since been interpreted by many to mean that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should now accept candidates from Zamfara APC, a position Ozekhome faulted.

    He argued that, since the Court of Appeal only set aside the judgment, but failed to make a consequential order directing INEC to accept candidates from Zamfara APC; it implies that the earlier decision by the electoral body, refusing the party’s candidates, still stands.

    In two separate documents issued on Friday – a press release and a letter to INEC Chairman (both of which he personally signed), Ozekhome urged INEC to reject candidates from Zamfara APC on the grounds that that “nothing has changed,” despite the Appeal Court judgment given in Abuja on February 21, 2019.

    Ozekhome insisted that, since an appeal filed by his client, Marafa, was still pending before the Court of Appeal in Sokoto State, against the judgement of the Zamfara State High Court, which said there were valid primaries, the issue (of whether or not there were valid primaries) could not be said to have been safely resolved.

    The Senior Advocate said: “Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on 21st February, 2019, dismissed the appeal filed by APC challenging the judgment of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, which had affirmed INEC’s stand that the APC did not conduct any primary election in Zamfara state and that INEC was right to have rejected APC’s candidates from Zamfara state.

    “The dismissal followed an application by APC to withdraw the appeal. The application was granted and the appeal dismissed accordingly.

    “Next was the cross-appeal filed by Yari & Co on jurisdiction and cause of action.

    “The judgment given by the Court of Appeal today clearly stated that the appeal partially succeeded and went ahead to set aside the judgment of the lower court on jurisdiction only, but refuse to grant the cause of action component of the appeal.

    “By this, the Court of Appeal refused to grant INEC any order to revive candidates of the APC from Zamfara state.

    “The cross-appeal therefore partially failed because, from the onset, APC had a complaint against INEC only. Governor had applied to join the case voluntarily.

    “And, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in her judgment held that ‘APC did not seek any relief against the 2nd to 6th dependents (Yari & Co) and considering that Yari and & Co didn’t file a counter claim, or cross action against APC in the suit, she now held that Yari & Co have nothing to add in this case.

    “From the foregoing, it is clear that the cross-appeal by Yari and his group, before the Court of Appeal, having partially failed, becomes at best, a mere academic exercise bereft of any utilitarian value to the entire case.

    “The false assertion that the Court of Appeal had cleared the way for the APC to participate in Saturday’s election is therefore a lie from the pit of hell.

    “It is nothing short of the desperate minute by frustrated politician holding on any available straw to smuggle themselves Willy nilly into Saturday’s election. This cannot work.

    “INEC is hereby reminded that there exists in addition to the above legal obstacles, a subsisting appeal which arose from the Zamfara State High Court judgment, which is still extant and pending before the Sokoto division of the Court of Appeal , in Appeal no: CA/S/32/2019.

    “In any event, the judgment of the Federal High Court, going by the judgment of the Court of Appeal still partially succeeded, since the Court of Appeal refused to make any clear mandatory orders directing INEC to receive any candidates from Yari group for the purpose of Saturday’s elections.

    “INEC is therefore obligated and legally bound to stand by its earlier well founded position that APC, having never conducted any primaries in Zamfara state, have no candidates in the forthcoming elections in Zamfara state, have no candidate in the forthcoming elections in Zamfara state, except the presidential election.

    “Any other act by INEC in fielding any candidates from the Governor Yari’s group or the “G-8” group will be illegal, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever,” Ozekhome said.

    He made similar argument in the letter to the Chairman of INEC.

    Part of the letter reads: “Sometimes in October 2018 when INEC wrote to APC, intimating it that the commission would not be expecting any list of candidates from them, having failed to conduct primaries within the stipulated time, APC challenged that decision of the commission by filing a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which decided the case in favour of the commission and dismissed the suit.

    “Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State had cross-appealed. By the judgment of the Court of Appeal on 21st February, 2019 the intermediate court held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter in the first place and therefore struck it out.

    “What this decision means sir, is that, as at today, there is no valid or extant decision of any court of law in Nigeria, which has set aside the well-grounded decision of INEC as contained in its letter of 9th October, 2018.

    “In addition to this clear legal obstacle against any of the parties fielding any candidate in the forthcoming Zamfara elections (aside the presidential election), there also exists and still pending before the Sokoto division of the Court of Appeal, a valid appeal filed by Senator Kabiru Marafa in appeal no: CA/S/33/2019.

    “Consequently, by way of summary, nothing in the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja has changed the well-grounded position of maintenance of status quo of disallowing. Any of the parties to field candidates for the forthcoming elections, except the presidential election.

    “The Court of Appeal, Abuja division merely struck out the suit which had been dismissed by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja with no consequential order.

    “Please sir, this letter urges you to firmly maintain your earlier position so as to prevent a clear circumvent of the judicial process and an appeal that is still pending before the Sokoto division of the Court of Appeal,” Ozekhome said.

  • Updated: INEC clears Zamfara APC to contest

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared the Zamfara state All Progressive Congress (APC) to present candidates for the general elections.

    This follows the Court of Appeal ruling on the matter.

    The state APC was barred from presenting candidates following an internal crisis, which prevented the party from conducting its primaries within the time frame set by INEC.

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday over ruled the lower court on technical ground.

    There were two conflicting rulings from two court of the same jurisdiction, one sitting in Zamfara and the other in Abuja.

    While the Zamfara Court ruled in favour of the ruling party, the Abuja High court ruled against the party, which therefore forced INEC to take a decision.

    However, the Appeal Court ruling on Thursday changed the narrative.

    INEC, in a statement by the National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the commission has complied with the Court order.

    The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has consistently maintained that it will always obey court judgments and orders.

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    “In the case of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, the Federal High Court Abuja and the Zamfara State High Court issued conflicting orders relating to the participation of the APC in the two strands of elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 20l9.

    “While the former ruled that the APC, having failed to conduct party primaries cannot field candidates in the said election, the latter decided that it can field candidates having conducted valid party primaries.

    “However, the Court of Appeal Abuja Judicial Division on 21st February 2019 set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja for “lack or want of jurisdiction on the part on the lower court.

    “This in effect means the Zamfara State High Court‘s decision that the APC can field candidates for the National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections is the only valid and subsisting order.

    “Consequently, the Commission has today, in compliance with the said order, restored the APC to the ballot in the National Assembly. Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for 23rd February and 9th March 2019.”