Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
SIR: Long before the federal High Court, Yola Division, presided over by the honorable Justice Abdulaziz Anka, nullified the APC governorship primary election that produced Senator Aisha Binani as standard bearer, many people, except the beneficiary of that wholesale illegality, knew that the courts would not take long to uncover the widespread irregularities in the conduct of the (s)election.
Mrs. Binani appears to have thrown caution to the wind in her desperation to secure the APC ticket. While other contestants were forced to settle for dollars or wild promises due to hunger or Abuja party muscle, Nuhu Ribadu will not let an illegality stand under his watch. The outcome of Justice Anka’s decision was sealed the day Ribadu approached the courts to seek clarification on the legal position regarding the blatant disregard for both the Electoral Act and the APC constitution in the conduct of the APC primaries that produced Binani.
“My findings are that there is non-compliance to the Electoral Act, as well as party guidelines and the constitution because there was manifest over-voting, which has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” Justice Anka stated in his decision.
“The first defendant (APC) cannot field a candidate for the 2023 general elections; the primary election is invalid, and the court therefore views the return of Aishatu Ahmed Binani as unlawful,” the judge added. “The request for new elections is hereby denied.”
The latter part of the decision is perhaps unexpected by Nuhu Ribadu. In reality, the man deserves another chance to reclaim what could have easily been his mandate had his party not pawned the ticket to the highest bidder. But, I’m sure the Honourable Justice understands that giving the APC another chance to deodorize an illegality with another sham primary election, especially when the players knowingly chose to engage in illegality, will be insufficient deterrent.
Of course, APC and Binani have the right to appeal the decision, but it is unambiguous, crystal clear, and to the point. The only honorable thing for the APC to do now is to come out boldly and apologize to its party members while concentrating its efforts on other elections.
Binani should be thankful to the courts. At the very least, she can now vanish into the shadows while maintaining her legitimate political winning streak. This may come in handy if she finds enough oxygen to resurrect her stillbirth governorship ambitions. Until then, APC would be wise to avoid the repeated gaffes that cost them Bayelsa and Zamfara in 2019.
