From Lawal Sa’ idu Funtua, Katsina
The Federal High Court in Katsina State had struck out suit filed by one Sani Bello and 70 others of the Katsina APC Akida faction challenging the party’s Congress in the state.
The presiding judge, Justice Hadiza Shagari, during yesterday’s proceedings threw out the case following what she described as status barred or untimely filling of the case by the plaintiff, saying all pre-election matters ought to have been filed within 14 days, as capsulated in section 285 (9) of the 1999 constitution.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, the Counsel to the plaintiff, Iorhuna Shadrach, said: “The court said our suit is status barred. We have to carefully study the judgment and see the next line of action. Our case before this court is about Congress, it does not touch the primaries.
“But the constitutional provision which the court relay on specifically and categorically made mention of primary election not congress. So, probably we are going to approach the Appeal Court to seek its own pronouncement on that particular section of the law.”
However, the Counsel to defendant, Barrister Ernest Obunadike, who was overwhelmed by the judgment, told newsmen after the ruling that the judge adhered strictly to section 285 (9) of the 1999 constitution, adding that the plaintiff would “not succeed even at the Appeal court”.
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