Appeal Court reinstates Aisha Binani as APC guber candidate for Adamawa
The High Court judgement that invalidated the primaries that elected Aishatu Binani as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2023 elections in Adamawa states have been overturned by the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola
On Thursday, a three-judge panel led by the lead Justice Tani Hassan unanimously overturned the lower court's rulings and ordered that her name be resubmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as APC governorship candidate for Adamawa
Former aspirant David Kente petitioned a Federal High Court in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, in September, and Justice Simon Amobeda subsequently removed Bwacha from office.
While the state's returning officer claimed that no primary election had taken place at the police headquarters due to security concerns, the judge argued that it was impossible for all the primary results to have the same handwriting.
Later, the former Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate filed an appeal, claiming that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State is to blame for the APC's troubles there.
Similarly, a Federal High Court in Yola overturned the APC primary that had chosen Binani as the party's nominee for governor of Adamawa last month.
According to Justice Abdulaziz Anka, there was "substantial evidence of non-compliance" with both party guidelines and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, therefore he issued the ruling.
Nuhu Ribadu, the runner-up in the election and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had taken Binani and INEC to court, accusing them of fraud and presenting an illegitimate list of delegates. The primary was held on May 27, 2022.
Both verdicts, however, were overturned by the appellate court on Thursday.
A small group of Binani supporters was spotted singing solidarity songs outside the courthouse after the ruling, while security personnel stood guard.