The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said candidates
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara state can participate in
the National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly elections
in the state.
This was contained in a statement signed by Festus Okoye, Chairman of the
Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, issued on Friday.
According to the commission, the decision is the result of a judgment by
the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday, which set aside the judgment of
the Federal High Court in Abuja for “lack or want of jurisdiction on the
part of the lower court”.
The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
has consistently maintained that it will always obey court judgments and
orders.
“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 2019.
“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 of the lower court.’ This in effect means
that 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.”