A State High Court sitting in Yola, presided over by Justice Abdulazeez Waziri on Tuesday vacated its earlier order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from conducting the Governorship Supplementary election in Adamawa state.
The court has also ruled that, it has the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the case filed before it by the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy MRDD party against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the state.
Subsequently the court has fixed Wednesday March 27 to hear the originating motion by MRDD asking the court to nullify the Governorship election conducted on March 9 alleging that INEC, over absence of party logo during the gubernatorial election in the state.
Reacting to the judgement, Barrister Mustpha Ibrahim, Counsel to MRDD party, said ruling is a perfect ruling, as there is no point granting accelerated hearing and at the same time granting an order to retrain conduct of elections.
“The main substances to our case, is the removal of the MRDD party logo from ballot papers, which constitutes the disqualification from the entire election.
“To clear the course for every party to argue freely, the judge directed that we should come tomorrow and argue our point and the judgement would be passed before Friday that is square enough.
“There is no point granting accelerated hearing and at the same time granting an order to retrain conduct of elections”.
Barrister Stephen Ibian INEC Counsel, said they are happy with the judgement vacating the earlier court order for the commission to go ahead and conduct the supplementary elections in the state.
“We are happy over the court vacating the earlier order, so that we can conduct our supplementary election in the state.
Meanwhile, Ahmadu Fintiri governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party as well as his party (PDP), have been joined as second and third defendants in the suit.
Joe Kerry Gadzama (SAN) and Counsel to Fintiri said “fortunately we have today been made parties specifically the PDP governorship candidate Ahmadu Fintiri is now the second defendant while PDP third defendant in the suit.
“This ruling came in late, it is a swift victory, but at the same time we are going to be vigilant it is not yet over, he maintained.
