The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended the presentation of Certificates of Return for the Zamfara Governorship and State House of Assembly scheduled for Wednesday. “The presentation of Certificates of Return for the Zamfara Governorship and State House of Assembly scheduled for Wednesday 27th March 2019 has been suspended,” INEC said Tuesday evening.
The electoral umpire said it suspended the presentation after an Appeal Court judgment, which nullified the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2019 elections in Zamfara State. A Sokoto Court of Appeal led by Justice Tom Yakubu, on Monday set aside the judgment of a Zamfara High Court on the APC primaries that produced the party’s candidates for the governorship, National and State Assembly elections.
A few days to the poll, a Zamfara High Court recognized the primary election that produced the governorship, state and national assembly candidates held by APC in the state and ordered INEC to accept the party candidates for the elections.
Based on that initial court ruling, INEC allowed the APC to field governorship and parliamentary candidates. The APC went on to win the governorship and parliamentary elections in Zamfara.
Unsatisfied with State High Court decision, the appellants petitioned the appeal court challenging the decision on the ground that the State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit among others. On Monday, the court of appeal vacated the Zamfara High court ruling, invalidating the APC candidates who contested and won the elections.
However, unless Monday’s appeal court ruling is upturned by the Supreme Court, the APC may lose the positions.
