Court affirms APC primary for Gombe South senatorial seat, dismisses Babadidi’s suit

By Hajara Usman

The Federal High Court in Gombe has affirmed the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election that produced Jerry Joseph Damara as the party’s candidate for the Gombe South Senatorial District.

The court dismissed a suit filed by Bilyaminu Babadidi challenging Damara’s emergence, holding that the allegations brought before it had not been sufficiently established.

Our Correspondent reports that the case centred on the validity of the APC senatorial primary, which produced Damara as the party’s candidate for the district.
Babadidi had instituted the action seeking to nullify the primary, alleging that the exercise was not conducted in accordance with the APC’s guidelines.
Following several proceedings and the adoption of final written addresses by the parties, Justice Amina Mohammed delivered judgment and dismissed the suit.

Counsel to the defendants, Muzzambil Yahaya, described the ruling as a vindication of the party’s position and the manner in which the primary election was conducted.

However, counsel to the plaintiff, Ayuba Rabi’u, said the legal team would study the judgment before proceeding to the appellate court to challenge the decision.

Meanwhile, some APC supporters who gathered after the judgment expressed satisfaction with the ruling, describing it as a victory for the party and reaffirming their commitment to the APC.