Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen has described as unacceptable the nullification of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Adamawa, Aisha Dahiru-Binani.

“The nullification of our only female candidate for the governorship in Adamawa is unacceptable,” Ms Tallen said in an interview in Abuja.

The minister, who described the problem that led to the nullification as a party issue, said Ms Dahiru-Binani won the APC governorship primary election, and called for the judgement to be reversed.

“It is unacceptable to all Nigerian women and all men and women of goodwill. We will not accept it. It is not just the issue of the candidate for Nigerian women; it is a party issue because the judgement says that the party has no candidate; that is not democracy.

“Why are they afraid of allowing her to run? A primary was conducted and it was a very transparent primary because top government officials that witnessed the primary confirmed that it was transparent and clean.

“And for anybody to now take her to court sounds funny and undemocratic and Nigerian women are not happy with that judgement,” Ms Tallen said.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the first lady to intervene, the minister said that Nigerian women would continue to advocate “until Binani’s mandate is restored. We will do everything as Nigerian women to support the party to fight until our mandate is returned.”

She also called on women and men of goodwill to support female candidates in the 2023 general elections and beyond, for the overall growth and development of the nation.

The Federal High Court 1 sitting in Yola, Adamawa, presided over by Justice A.M. Anka, voided the APC governorship primary election which produced Ms Dahiru-Binani as the governorship candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.

Justice Anka said the party has no governorship candidate for 2023 elections in the state, as he did not order for a fresh primary election.

Mr Anka said during his ruling that the judgement was based on substantial non-compliance with party guidelines and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the APC primary exercise.

Ms Dahiru-Binani, during the primary election conducted on May 27, 2022, polled 430 votes to defeat her closest rival, Nuhu Ribadu who got 288 votes; former Governor Umaru Bindow scored 103 votes; Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas got 94 votes, while Safari Theman scored 21 votes and Umar Mustapha 39.

Thereafter, Mr Ribadu, who came second during the primary election, had dragged the APC governorship candidate, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court.

He sought the nullification of the primary election, alleging over-voting and other electoral irregularities during the primary election.

(NAN)