Governor Yari says no elections will hold in Zamfara if APC is excluded

Governor of Zamfara state, Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar, has threatened that elections in the state will not hold if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not include the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates in the polls. Governor Yari issued the threat on Friday, February 8, during the APC campaign rally in Talata Mafara local government area of the state, Daily Trust reports.

“There is no way elections will be conducted in Zamfara State without APC candidates, despite Zamfara High Court judgment which confirmed that APC conducted primaries in the state," Yari warned.

He said barring Zamfara APC candidates from contesting elections in the state will be a huge mistake and threat to national security. “All our actions are based on Zamfara High Court Order, we are therefore advising INEC to obey the order and include the names of Zamfara APC candidates list submitted to the commission,"Yari said.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment on Friday, January 25, ruled that INEC acted within its powers by refusing to accept list of candidates after the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body, The Nation reports. The court held that the decision of INEC was within the rule of law and intended to check impunity among political parties and politicians.