Tobias Sylvester
An Appeal Court in Yola has restored Aishatu Binani as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Adamawa State.
Binani Floors Nuhu Ribadu To Reclaim APC Guber Ticket
In October, a federal high court in Yola had nullified the APC primary that produced Binani as the party’s governorship candidate for Adamawa.
A former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, who contested but lost the ticket of the party had challenged Binani’s victory in court.
Ribadu, who hinged his suit on alleged votes buying, over-voting and delegate inducement, asked the court to disqualify Binani and declare him the candidate of the APC in the state.
He sought an order restraining APC from submitting Binani’s name to INEC as the governorship candidate of APC on the grounds that she had emerged from an invalid and unlawful exercise.
After the nullification of her candidacy, Binani who is the senator representing Adamawa central, challenged the ruling of the lower court at the appeal court.
APC and Binani through their counsel, Sule J. Abul and Sam Ologunorisa, filed a notice of preliminary objections and counter-affidavits.
While APC challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter, Binani in her preliminary objection argued that Ribadu’s suit was not properly constituted.
She described the suit as incompetent, contentious, rancorous and contained allegations of fraud, commission of a crime, and that it cannot be heard or determined by way of the originating summons.
In its judgement on Thursday, the Appeal court ordered that Binani’s name be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately.
KanyiDaily recalls that the court had also nullified the election that produced Obong Akanimo Udofia as the APC governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.
