IN THE NEWS AGAIN: Binani drags INEC to court over nullification of her ‘illegal’ declaration as Gov

The DEFENDER, as at the time of filing this report, could not ascertain what gave the Adamawa Senator the courage that the illegality voided by INEC will ever be restored, thus the confidence she has in approach the court.

The dust thought had been settled by nulification of an illegal declaration of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Adamawa governorship election, Aisha Dahiru, popularly called Binani may not have been truly so.

This is because, the female candidate has again gone to court to, this time, sue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the March 18 governorship election matters.

Binani, through her counsel, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), filed the fresh suit before Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The DEFENDER, as at the time of filing this report, could not ascertain what gave the Adamawa Senator the courage that the illegality voided by INEC will ever be restored, thus the confidence she has to approach the court.

In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/935/2023, the APC candidate in the poll, sued INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively.

Binani, again, sought a judicial eview of the decision by INEC to reverse her earlier announcement as winner of the poll by the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

Aondoaka while moving the motion on Monday, argued that it was the election petition tribunal that was vested with the power to decide the fate of his client in accordance with Section 149 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

He said the decision of INEC would deprive Binani of Section 285(6) which gives 180 days within which her petition filed before the tribunal on May 6 could be dispensed with.

The senior lawyer, who informed the court that though a similar suit was earlier filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo, he said the sister court ordered Binani to approach a tribunal her suit, having being an election-related matter.

He, therefore, sought a review of the INEC’s action.

He said an undertaking had been signed to prove to the court that the present suit was not frivolous.

He said in the undertaking, they were ready to face any cost should the court found the case to be frivolous.

After listening to Andoaka, Justice Okorowo stood down the matter for ruling.

Binani had, on April 26, withdrew the suit before Justice Ekwo, following the declaration of Fintiri as the winner of the governorship poll.

Binani’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff, upon resumed hearing in the matter, had told Justice Ekwo that a notice of discontinuance had been filed to that effect and urged the court to strike out the case.

Justice Ekwo reminded Mr Sheriff that an order was given on the last adjourned date directing him to address the court on whether the court had the jurisdiction to entertain the case or not.

The lawyer, who informed the court that a lot of issues had come up between the last date of adjournment and today, begged for an order striking out the suit.

The judge, however, held that since Mr Sheriff had failed to go by the order of the court, the appropriate thing to do was to dismiss the matter.

The judge, consequently, dismissed the suit.