Sacked APC 'governor-elect' reacts to Supreme Court ruling

The All Progressive Congress governorship candidate in Zamfara, Muktar Shehu, who was sacked as governor-elect by the Supreme Court has reacted to the ruling.

Mr Shehu was declared the winner of the March governorship election by the electoral commission, INEC.

However, the Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the participation of the APC in the governorship and legislative elections in Zamfara. The court said the ruling party did not hold valid primaries. It ordered that INEC should declare all the first runners-up in the elections initially won by the APC in Zamfara as winners.

Based on the Supreme Court ruling, INEC on Saturday declared Bello Mutawalle of the Peoples Democratic Party as the governor-elect of Zamfara State.

In his reaction, Mr Shehu, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, said, “Indeed power and sovereignty belongs to Allah and He alone grants power to whom he wills when he wills.”

He thanked members of the APC for supporting his ambition.

“My fellow APC men and women of Zamfara state, I want to take this medium to extend my profound gratitude for your tireless physical and mental support, commitment and love you showed us throughout the electioneering process.

“Our party won at the polls but lost through system. These are indeed sad times for our party in Zamfara State, but a litmus test to our unity, strength, and togetherness, as I’m certain we will overcome this and come out much stronger and better because our trials today are never reasons to give up but rather stepping stones to lead us to our success tomorrow.

“I pray to Allah give our incoming administration the success to surmount security challenges in the state and I also pray that their success today thrive for greater achievements for us and the next generations to come,” Mr Shehu said.