Court bars APC from fielding candidates  in Zamfara

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, barred the All Progressives Congress (APC) from fielding candidates in Zamfara State in  the February 16 and March 2 general elections.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu affirmed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), foreclosing the party from participating in the election.
Justice Ojukwu held that the position adopted by INEC with regards to Zamfara APC was in tandem with the law and would help to instil discipline.
It will be recalled that INEC had barred the APC from fielding candidates in Zamfara for the general elections  for failing to conduct its primaries within the stipulated time.
APC, not satisfied with the decision, filed a suit in court challenging the decision of the electoral umpire.
In the suit, the APC prayed the court to declare that INEC’s letter of October 9  was null, void, ultra vires and of no effect, having regards to the provisions of Sections 31(1) and 86(2), (3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
INEC’s letter of October 9 had stated that it was excluding the party from presenting and submitting the list of its candidates for the forthcoming election in Zamfara scheduled for 2019.
The electoral body said the exclusion was on the grounds that the APC failed to conduct its primaries within the stipulated time.