The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has commended the Supreme Court judgement which nullified the elections of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections in Zamfara. The apex court held that the ruling APC did not hold valid primaries for the Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections and so did not legally field candidates in the elections in the state.
A five-man Supreme Court panel sitting in Abuja, on Friday nullified the APC primaries and all seats won in the general election. The apex court also directed the political parties and candidates with highest numbers of votes to be declared as the winners in all the offices contested. There was jubilation across the state with vehicles and motorcycles carrying PDP flags and posters about.
Abubakar in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, commended the Supreme Court for siding with justice, saying justice had prevailed in matter. He said that the judgment upheld the rule of law and did justice by declaring the PDP as winner of the governorship election in Zamfara, as well as in the State House of Assembly elections.
He said that “Nothing is as pleasing to the ears of believers, as justice being served in the holy month of Ramadan.” He commended the Lord Justices for putting aside the interests of the powerful and upholding the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians. He said “God first, Nigeria second, must be our priority as trustees of the people. “When justice prevails, the people rejoice, chains are broken, freedom is multiplied and society is enriched.”
Abubakar expressed hope that the Supreme Court Justices would allow full reign of justice in other petitions coming before them. He was also hopeful that good conscience, fear of God and the rule of law will prevail. The former Vice President said that in so doing, “They will write their names for good on the sands of time and avoid the infamy that oppressors wish to thrust on them as their legacy.’’
He congratulated the governor-elect Bello Matawalle and the people of Zamfara, who according to him would finally have a government that would address the issues which had made life an ordeal in the state. “The storm is over and peace and calm are coming to Zamfara. “May God bless the Supreme Court of Nigeria. May God bless Zamfara state and may God bless Nigeria, now and forever, ‘’ he said.
The Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections in Zamfara. Justice Paul Galinji, in delivering the lead judgment in Abuja held that the APC and all its candidates that participated in the elections gate-crashed, having not conducted lawful primaries. According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was right not have recognised the participation of APC in those elections. Galinji, therefore, ordered that all the political parties whose candidates scored the second highest votes in the elections and the required spread should be declared winners forthwith.
Following the Supreme Court judgment, INEC disclosed that it would take a final decision on the outcome of the Zamfara elections on Monday. A statement signed by Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja, yesterday, said the Commission held an emergency meeting following the apex court’s ruling and would meet again today to further deliberate on the issues arising from the judgment, while the final decision on the matter would be communicated to the public on Monday, May 27.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara Chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) commended the Supreme Court over the judgment. The NBA state Chairman, Bello Galadi, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau on Friday.
Galadi said: “Court as the last resort has done the right thing in the right direction to rescue democracy in the state and country as a whole. “This showed that by implication, rule of law, justice and true democracy had started to emerge in the nation’s political system.” He, therefore, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the court free hand to discharge its responsibilities.
