The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled September 29 for the hearing of a suit challenging the outcome of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship primary in Nasarawa State. The case was filed by supporters of former Minister of Environment, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, who allege that the primary was flawed and that Major General Nuhu Angbazo was wrongly declared the winner.
Campaign Team Confirms Court Date
The Director General of the MHA Campaign Organisation, Barrister John Mathew, disclosed the development in Keffi after a meeting of the campaign team. Mathew said all parties have received court documents and exchanged filings, but the matter was pushed back due to the court's annual vacation. He expressed hope that the court will hear the case on the scheduled date and reserve judgment.
Mathew reiterated the campaign's stance that Angbazo did not legitimately win the ADC primary. He argued that the process that produced Angbazo's declaration was fundamentally flawed, stating, "You don't cancel an election after it has been conducted and results are known simply to confer advantage on somebody."
Allegations of Result Cancellation
Mathew described the case as "very unique," pointing to the cancellation of results from an entire local government area where Abdullahi led by more than 10,000 votes. He said the party justified the cancellation on grounds of violence, but a certified report from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told a different story. According to Mathew, the INEC document before the court reads: "We monitored this election in all the 11 wards, and the elections were peaceful, and these are the results."
The cancelled results have been submitted as evidence, and the figures match what his team recorded independently. Mathew added that the party chose to set those results aside entirely rather than collate them. He vowed to pursue the case to the highest court in Nigeria if necessary, saying, "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."
No Reconciliation While Dispute Stands
On the possibility of a settlement between the two camps, Mathew ruled out any talks as long as Angbazo's declaration remains in place. He drew an analogy, stating, "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."
Abdullahi served as Minister of Environment under former President Muhammadu Buhari before contesting the ADC primary ahead of the Nasarawa State governorship election. The party's announcement of Angbazo as winner triggered the legal action now before the Federal High Court. The outcome of the hearing could significantly impact the ADC's chances in the upcoming governorship election.
