Jubilation in Zamfara as INEC removes APC from ballot

… also confirms Rivers APC will not contest

Patrick Okohue

There were serious jubilations within the opposition parties in Zamfara State as the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, announced the disqualification of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state from contesting the 2019 general elections in the state. This is even as names of APC candidates are also missing in the list of political parties and candidates participating in the 2019 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers State. According to the governorship candidate of the PDP in Zamfara State, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the official release from the commission which excluded the state wing of APC from contesting the elections was a very transparent development. According to him, INEC has proved to Nigerians that the 2019 general elections would be free, fair, credible and acceptable. According to him, INEC has obeyed the judiciary, noting that the Federal High court’s judgment supersedes a state High court, appealing to the commission to ensure that Justice prevails in the 2019 general elections. In another reaction, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi noted that he was waiting for APC in the state to flag off its campaign before going to the appeal court, noting that the INEC has done what was expected of the commission to do. The presidential candidate of Nigerian Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), Comrade Ishaka Paul Ofemile said he appreciated the decision of INEC. He noted that Nigeria is too big for anybody to use federal might or power of incumbency to manipulate the decision of over one hundred and fifty million citizens. On his own part, Senator Garba Kabiru Marafa representing Zamfara Central Senatorial zone in the Senate pointed out that Governor Abdulaziz Yari wanted to prove to the world that he was the alpha and omega in the state. The Senator noted that Abdulaziz Yari came to the political limelight from nowhere through the political influence of Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima. Senator Marafa noted that even though he was not going to contest the governorship election, he was satisfied that Governor Abdulaziz Yari did not achieve his selfish interest after all. Meanwhile, all the APC candidates and their supporters have remained silent, waiting for the governor to enter the state Government House and make a public statement. Meanwhile the missing list of APC candidates in Rivers State is in line with the Judgement of Justice James Omotosho who issued a restraining order on INEC to drop the APC from participating in the elections in Rivers state. Two weeks ago, INEC also failed to publish the names of APC candidates for the National Assembly elections in Rivers State.