Gombe Court Orders Fresh APC Primary After Nullification

The Federal High Court in Gombe, presided over by Justice Vera Ibrahim, nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election conducted on May 16 for the Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency. The court ordered the APC to conduct a fresh primary in compliance with the Electoral Act.

The ruling barred Ali J.C, who was the candidate from the disputed primary, from participating in the new election. The court's decision stemmed from a challenge regarding the validity of the APC primary and its adherence to statutory requirements concerning the membership register.

Justice Ibrahim found that Ali's name was not included in the APC membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the legally required timeframe. Ali reportedly joined the APC just 16 days before the primary.

The court concluded that neither the APC nor INEC provided sufficient evidence to prove that Ali's name was on the relevant membership register submitted on time. The judgment emphasized the necessity for political parties to comply with electoral laws during internal elections.