Aisha Dahiru, also known as “Binani,” ran for governor of Adamawa State in the March 18 general election and is suing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) once more over the Commission’s decision to invalidate her declaration as governor of the state.
On behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Binani ran for governor of Adamawa.
According to NAN, Binani filed a new lawsuit before Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court in Abuja through her attorney, Michael Aondoaka, SAN.
She sued the INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, as the first, second, and third respondents in the ex-parte motion with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/935/2023.
Binani has reapplied to the court for a judicial review of the electoral umpire’s decision to overturn Hudu Yunusa-Ari’s earlier certification of her as the election’s victor. Yunusa-Ari is the resident electoral commissioner (REC) for the Adamawa State.
On Monday, Aondoaka moved the application on behalf of Binani, contending that Section 149 of the Electoral Act, 2022 gave the election petition tribunal the authority to decide the future of his client.
According to him, Binani would lose the 180-day window provided by Section 285(6), which she submitted with the tribunal on May 6, if INEC’s decision were to stand.
Although Binani had previously filed a lawsuit of a similar nature before Justice Inyang Ekwo, the sister court had instructed Binani to file her lawsuit with a tribunal since it was an election-related subject.
He requested a review of the INEC’s decision as a result.
He said that an agreement had been made to show the court that the current lawsuit was not frivolous and that they were prepared to bear any costs should the court do so.
Justice Okorowo took Andoaka’s testimony under consideration before deciding the case.
