From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
A federal high court sitting in Kano has ruled that statutory delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are constitutionally qualified to participate in all meetings, congresses and conventions
In a judgement delivered Friday, the court presided by Justice A M Liman declared that Section 84 (8) cannot be interpreted to have excluded the statutory delegates from voting at conventions, congresses and meetings of the party.
The court explained that their participation has been guaranteed by virtue of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution. (As amended) and by the provision of Article 20 iv (c) of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), which allows statutory delegates to vote at conventions, congresses and meetings.
Senator Masuud El-Jibrin Doguwa, Hon. BilyaminuYusuf Shin’Kafi and Hon Habibu Sani
had on May 24th filed a suit challenging the disenfranchisement of statutory delegates from participating at the convention.
The suit was filed against the Senate President, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) the Speaker, House of Representatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The second defendant had filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to the originating summon on June 1 while the 1st,3rd and 4th defendants did not file any process in the suit.
While Speaking to Saturday Sun, one of the plaintiffs, Senator El Jilbrin Dogiwa, had expressed delight at the outcome of the suit while looking forward to the implementation of the judgement of the court.