By Aminu Dalhatu
The Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto Division has reserved judgment in an appeal challenging the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.
Counsel to the first respondent, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi, Bello Galadi, disclosed this while speaking to journalists after the court proceedings.
He said the matter came up for the adoption of written briefs of arguments by the parties.
“The appeal, filed by Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u Kaura, is challenging the judgment of the Federal High Court in Gusau, presided over by Justice Hassan Dikko, which ordered the APC to conduct a fresh senatorial primary election for the district”
According to Galadi, the respondents had earlier been served with the appellant’s brief of argument and subsequently filed their reply within the period stipulated by the rules of the court.
Bello Galadi said the appellants also served the respondents with their reply on points of law, paving the way for the adoption of the respective written addresses.
He explained that he adopted the respondent’s brief of argument on behalf of his client, Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi.
The lawyer said the court subsequently adjourned the matter for judgment, adding that no specific date had been fixed as the judgment date would be communicated to the parties when ready.
The appeal followed an earlier judgment of the lower court which reportedly nullified the APC primary election conducted for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.
Speaking with newsmen, the Senatorial aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial District, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal will uphold the judgment of the Federal High Court, which nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election conducted in the district.
Dr. Shinkafi said his confidence was based on the documentary evidence presented before the Federal High Court, which, according to him, established alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines governing the conduct of primary elections.
Dr. Shinkafi said electoral disputes were determined largely on the basis of evidence, stressing that the appeal would not alter the facts established before the lower court.
He explained that the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines clearly prescribe procedures for the conduct of party primaries, arguing that, the disputed primary election did not comply with the stipulated requirements.
According to him, Section 84 of the Electoral Act provides the legal framework for the conduct of party primaries, while the APC guidelines also set out specific procedures that must be followed.
He recalled that on August 31, 2026, the Federal High Court delivered judgment in his favour after considering the evidence and submissions presented before it.
Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
