SAN FRANCISCO, February 22, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally admitted Zamfara state All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates into the 2019 general election.
This follows the Court of Appeal ruling on Thursday that the electoral commission should accept candidates of the party.
The electoral body announced this in a statement on Friday by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye.
According to Okoye, INEC took the decision following a ruling delivered on Thursday by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.
He explained that the commission had refused to allow the candidates of the party in Zamfara to participate in the polls because of the “conflicting orders” of the Federal High Court, Abuja and the Zamfara State High Court on the primaries conducted in the state.
The National Commissioner noted that the court in Abuja had restrained the party from fielding candidates in the general elections, stating that it did not conduct primaries.
On the other hand, he said a later ruling by the court in Zamfara cleared the APC to go ahead and participate in the polls having held valid primaries.
Okoye added that the appeal court, thereafter, set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja for lack of jurisdiction.
The INEC official revealed that the electoral umpire has decided to comply with the order of the court and restored the APC on the ballot in Zamfara.
