INEC To Announce Final Decision On Zamfara APC Today

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today make known its final decision on the participation of the All Progressives Congress in the general elections in Zamfara State.

A source at the INEC headquarters told Channels Television that the leadership of INEC remains focused on its mission to deliver a free, fair and credible election in the country but would not go against the law in doing so.

Conflicting judgments had emanated from the courts over the participation of Zamfara APC candidates in the elections.

While the Zamfara State High Court declared the primaries as valid and asked INEC to recognise candidates submitted by the APC, a Federal High Court in Abuja declared the primaries invalid.

Consequently, INEC which had earlier announced that it would not recognise the APC candidates in Zamfara State who were produced after the time stipulated for primaries, said in the face of the conflicting court judgements, its position on the matter remained the same.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has reportedly written a letter to INEC demanding a postponement of the National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

The reported move by the AGF followed the decision of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division yesterday, which dismissed an appeal challenging the qualification of candidates put forward by the APC for various offices in Zamfara State.

A three-member panel led by Justice Jummai Sankey unanimously dismissed the appeal following its withdrawal by the appellant, Aminu Jaji, a governorship candidate in the state.

Although the Appeal Court in Sokoto did not order INEC to accept the list of candidates from Zamfara APC, the AGF in his reported letter asked INEC to grant an extension of time for Zamfara APC on the grounds that the Appeal Court upheld the validity of the Zamfara State candidates.