Even at Corona era: Gov’ship tussle: Anxiety as Supreme Court rules on Zamfara Today

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed.The Supreme Court has fixed ruling in the application for the review of the judgement which disqualified the governorship and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State in the 2019 general elections.

The Director of Information of the Supreme Court, Festus Akande, disclosed that the ruling has been fixed for Friday.

A five-member panel of justices presided by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Tuesday, March 17, after listening to the parties, announced that a new date will be communicated to them.

The ex-governor Abdulaziz Yari’s faction of the APC, through its counsel, Robert Clarke (SAN), brought the application seeking a review of the consequential order of the apex court which voided the total votes polled by the APC in the election over the conduct of the October 3, 2018 primary of the party.

Clarke argued that the consequential order denied the rights of fair hearing to the APC and benefitted PDP which was not a party to the appeal.

But counsel to the Senator Kabiru Marafa-led faction of the APC, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the application with punitive costs.

Citing the recent cases in Bayelsa and Imo states and sections 235 and 285 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999, Ozekhome argued that the decision of the Supreme Court is final and cannot be reviewed.

Counsel to other members of the APC listed as 141 to 178 defendants, Abdullahi Haruna, and counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), T. M. Inuwa (SAN), said they have not filed any process in the matter.

Meanwhile, our correspondent reports that there was anxiety in the camps of both the All Progressives Congress and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state ahead of the judgement.

Supporters of both camps toldDaily Trustthat they were praying and fasting as they seek victory in their favour.

The publicity secretary of the ruling PDP in the state, Alhaji Faruk Ahmad Shattima toldDaily Trustthat nothing would change, adding that they had seen the outcome of such judgements in the cases of Bayelsa and Imo states.

For his part, vice chairman of the APC in the state, Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, said they had a strong case before the country’s apex court, adding that they would emerge triumphant.