The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State has degenerated following the refusal of the Presiding Judge handling the case filed by the state chapter of the party against the APC National working Committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission to continue with the hearing of the suit.
The Presiding Judge of High Court VI, Gusau, Justice Muktar Yushau, announced his withdrawal from the case last Wednesday, following the rumour making the round that he had been bribed by some people to decide the case in their
favour.
According to Justice Yushau, there have a lot of rumours trending particularly on the social media that he has been bribed through his in-law to favour some people.
The judge stressed that due to that he had no any alternative than to withdraw from the case so as not to smear his good
reputation.
All efforts by the counsels to both the plaintiffs and the defendants to persuade the judge to continue the suit proved abortive as he kept on saying that he was not happy with what was being said about his handling of the matter on the social media.
One of the lawyers reminded the judge that it was not a new thing to read baseless rumours on the social media, citing an example of President Muhammad Buhari, who was said to have died in London. He then urged the judge to continue with the
case.
But the presiding judge explained that he would not continue with the suit, arguing that the state chief judge should either appoint someone to take over from him or preside over the case herself.
Commenting on this issue, a lawyer who preferred anonymity, stressed that it was not enough for the presiding judge to withdraw from the suit just because of a rumour on the social media.
“It is not enough for the judge to decline jurisdiction simply because he was accused of receiving gratification. But since he has taken that decision, nobody will compel him to continue with the suit,” he said.
The lawyer further maintained that with the withdrawal from the case by the presiding judge, it would be very difficult for the matter to be concluded before the expiration of the duration of submission of candidates’
list.
This decision by the presiding judge to withdraw from the case is, however, a serious setback to the state APC officials, who wanted the case to be concluded before the expiration of the duration for the submission of candidates’ list to INEC.
If by the end of next month the APC does not submit its candidates’ list for the forthcoming general elections, the party will not participate in the 2019 elections.
As at the time of filling this report APC officials were having series of meetings with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem, considering the number of days left before the 2019 general
elections.
Unconfirmed sources, however, disclosed that Governor Abdul Aziz Yari is currently discussing with his people on the possibility of joining another party before the deadline for the submission of candidates’ list to INEC.
Journalists were invited last Wednesday by the APC officials to the Government House, Gusau, for a press conference but were later told that it had been suspended.
Meanwhile, political activities have been at a standstill in the state despite the lifting of the ban on
campaigns.
