Court Backs INEC’s Rejection Of APC Candidates In Zamfara

A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted rightly in refusing to accept list of candidates for the next general elections from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State.

In a judgment by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on Friday, the court said it was not the fault of INEC that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body.

According to Justice Ojukwu, INEC’s action was intended to curb impunity among political parties and politicians; ensure that rule of law is adhered to.
The judgment was on a suit filed in the name of APC by some individuals, who said they emerged from a consensus arrangement adopted by the party in Zamfara State.

INEC had in October disqualified the APC from participating in all elections for failing to conduct primaries, except the Presidential poll.
INEC said the decision was hinged on the fact that the APC failed to conduct primaries for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly elections, adding that the October 7, 2018 deadline had lapsed.

The Zamfara APC had been engulfed in a serious crisis in recent time as parallel primaries had been held by factions of the party, none of which was monitored by INEC.