The suit filed by former Minister of Environment, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, challenging the outcome of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship primary in Nasarawa State has been scheduled for hearing on September 29 at the Federal High Court, Court 5, Abuja.
The Director General of the MHA Campaign Organisation, Barrister John Mathew, disclosed this in Keffi after a meeting of the ex-minister’s campaign organisation.
Mathew said all parties had been served and had exchanged documents, but the case was delayed due to the court’s annual vacation.
“Hopefully on the 29th, the court will hear us and then reserve judgment,” he stated.
The campaign organisation reiterated its “total rejection of the announcement of Major General Nuhu Angbazo as the winner of the primaries in ADC”, saying “he didn’t win.”
“You don’t cancel an election after it has been conducted and results are known simply to confer advantage on somebody,” Mathew said.
He described the case as “very unique,” alleging that the party canceled the results of an entire local government where Abdullahi led with over 10,000 votes.
According to him, the cancellation was done “on the ground that there was violence,” despite a certified INEC report before the court, stating that “we monitored this election in all the 11 wards, and the elections were peaceful, and these are the results.
“The results are the same thing with the results that we have, which the party, after receiving it, decided to cancel it and not collate it. So, this is the entire basis, nothing more than that,” he said.
Mathew said the canceled results “are already before the court” as part of their evidence.
“We will insist that justice be done, and we’ll do this case to the very, very last court in Nigeria, if it becomes necessary. So, we don’t accept him as a candidate for ADC because he never won any election,” he added.
On possible reconciliation, the DG said there can be no talks while the disputed declaration stands.
“You don’t steal something that belongs to another person and while still holding it in your left hand, you reach out with your right hand asking for forgiveness and for reconciliation. The first thing for you to do is to drop that thing that you have stolen before you ask for forgiveness,” he said.
Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi served as Minister of Environment under President Muhammadu Buhari and contested the ADC governorship primary in Nasarawa State, but the party announced Nuhu Angbazo as the winner and GUBER candidate.
