The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described nullification of elections of all the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara in the last general elections as historic, courageous and victory for democracy.
The Coalition Spokesperson, Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said that the CUPP was excited about Friday’s verdict of the Supreme Court.
Ugochinyere said that the landmark judgment had raised hope for Nigeria and its people that they would eventually be victorious.
“We are grateful that there are still people in the judiciary willing to do the right thing and defend the will of Nigerians.
“Opposition Coalition also sends congratulatory message to the new Governor-elect, Dr Bello Muhammad Mutawalle, senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly-elects on PDP platform for the victory.
He called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to quickly withdraw the certificates of return issued to those APC candidates.
He urged Yakubu to issue certificates to the rightful owners in accordance with the verdict of the apex court without further delay.
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“We are also calling on the President of the Court of Appeal to quickly disband the election petition tribunal sitting in Zamfara State because the members’ jobs have ended.
“This is because with the declaration of new winners, the time allowed by the constitution for filing petition against the result has elapsed,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections in Zamfara.
Justice Paul Galinji, in delivering the lead judgment in Abuja, held that the APC and all its candidates that participated in the elections gate-crashed, because the party did not conduct lawful primaries.
Galinji said INEC was right not to have recognised the participation of APC in those elections.
The judge therefore, ordered that all the political parties whose candidates scored the second highest votes in the elections and the required spread should be declared winners. (NAN)