BY: News Peddlers
.jpeg) |
| Aisha Dahiru-Binani |
The nullification of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Adamawa, Aisha Dahiru-Binani, has been described as unacceptable by Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen.
"The nullification of our only female governorship candidate in Adamawa is unacceptable," Tallen said in an interview in Abuja.
The minister, who described the problem that led to the nullification as a party issue, stated that Ms. Dahiru-Binani won the APC governorship primary election and demanded that the ruling be overturned.
"It is unacceptable to all Nigerian women and all goodwill men and women. We are not going to accept it. It is not only a candidate issue for Nigerian women; it is also a party issue because the judgment states that the party has no candidate; that is not democracy.
"Why are they afraid of letting her go? A primary was held, and it was a very transparent primary because top government officials who witnessed it confirmed that it was clean and transparent.
"And for anyone to now take her to court seems strange and undemocratic, and Nigerian women are not happy with that decision," Ms. Tallen said.
While urging President Muhammadu Buhari and First Lady Aisha Buhari to intervene, the minister stated that Nigerian women would continue to advocate "until Binani's mandate is restored." As Nigerian women, we will do everything we can to support the party's fight until our mandate is restored."
She also urged women and men of goodwill to support female candidates in the 2023 general elections and beyond, for the sake of the nation's overall growth and development.
The Federal High Court 1 in Yola, Adamawa, presided over by Justice A.M. Anka, ruled that the APC governorship primary election that produced Ms Dahiru-Binani as the party's governorship candidate for the 2023 elections was invalid.
Because he did not order a new primary election, Justice Anka stated that the party does not have a governorship candidate for the 2023 elections in the state.
During his ruling, Mr Anka stated that the decision was based on significant non-compliance with party guidelines and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the APC primary election.
Ms Dahiru-Binani received 430 votes during the primary election on May 27, 2022, defeating her closest rival, Nuhu Ribadu, who received 288 votes; former Governor Umaru Bindow received 103 votes; Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas received 94 votes; Safari Theman received 21 votes, and Umar Mustapha received 39 votes.
Following that, Mr Ribadu, who finished second in the primary election, sued the APC governorship candidate, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He sought to have the primary election declared null and void, claiming over-voting and other electoral irregularities.
NAN