From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Tony John, Port Harcourt and Kenneth Udeh, Abuja

The Appeal Court in Yola, Adamawa State, has declared Senator Aishatu Binani as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate.

The court presided over by Justices Tani Hassan, Mistura Bolaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court, which nullified the governorship primary and declared that APC has no candidate for the 2023 governorship election.

The justices ordered that name of Binani be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as flag bearer for the election

On October 14, a Federal High Court sitting in Yola, had nullified the governorship primary that produced Binani, declaring that the party had no candidate for the forthcoming governorship elections.

The case was filed by Malam Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), challenging the APC governorship primary over alleged irregularities, and demanding for fresh primaries.

Binani had scored 430 votes to defeat Ribadu, who polled 288 votes in the election.

However, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has disqualified the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, over dual citizenship and non-compliance to Electoral Act by his party.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state had approached the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise Cole as the governorship candidate of APC for alleged dual citizenship and that the delegates election that brought him did not follow due process.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Emmanuel Obile agreed with PDP that the APC governorship candidate, who has dual citizenship, was not eligible to contest governorship position and that the primary that brought in Cole was not monitored by INEC.

Meanwhile, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has declared that women would lead Binani’s campaign.

Tallen, who appeared at the 59th edition of the Ministerial Media Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja, said: “I knew that we will make it. Today is a day that we are going to celebrate. From here we are moving to the house. We will move to the streets and watch what will happen in Adamawa.

“We will lead the campaign, Adamawa women already are fully mobilized, they have said that if she’s not given her mandate, they will not come out to contest or vote in any election.

“Nigerian women are fully behind her because throughout last night (Wednesday) we did vigil, we have been praying and fasting on this matter and God answered our prayers. Because, this is a test case, is not that we don’t have capable women.

“They did it for me in 2011, they did it for late Mama Taraba and I vowed under my stewardship, Lord, wipe my tears and God answered my prayers.

“This is a success story to Buhari’s administration. President Buhari will be the first president to inaugurate a woman as a female governor.

“Senator Aisha Binani’s case is an election that is already won because, Adamawa people have spoken. The President of National Council of Women Society is from Adamawa, we are monitoring what is happening.

“I am happy. This is good news for Nigerian women. I am from Plateau, I wish I can vote in Adamawa, I would have moved to Adamawa to vote for her. But it is not just women of Adamawa, the men, youths are crying for a change and they will see by the time Binani gets into office the difference will be clear. The development that will take place in Adamawa because she has been tested. As a member of House of Representatives, go to her constituency, as a senator not only in her senatorial zone, Adamawa people have told me that she handles the empowerment of women, youths, elderly, giving out scholarships.

“This lady deserves to be supported. Her victory during the primaries was a landslide victory. I thank God she won the case. This is answered prayers of Nigerian women.

Whoever told you women don’t like one another, it is not true.”

Tallen also hailed the Federal High Court in Abuja for  dismissing the suit filed against Senator Stella Oduah, seeking an order invalidating her nomination as a Senatorial Candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.