My Victory Litmus Test For Party Supremacy – Gov Bello

BY Juliana MAIRIGA MINNA
Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello said Supreme Court judgement that upheld his candidacy as the standard bearer of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Niger State at the 2015 governorship election was a confirmation of party supremacy.
The governor said the trend of judgement from the lower to the apex court showed that the party was guided by its constitution in the conduct of the primary that produced his candidacy.
Reacting after he was briefed of the outcome of the Supreme Court case challenging the primary that produced him as APC governorship candidate by Alhaji Mustapha Babangida, the governor said the legal battle which transcend the three layers of the court was a litmus test for party supremacy.
“With this decision of the Supreme Court, the judgement of the apex court has further deepened democratic ethos and affirm the party supremacy over any personal or group interest. It has positioned the party in its rightful place.
“For me, I never lost focus or faith in the supremacy of the party even when the plaintiff pursued his constitutional right to the highest court of the land. The party’s constitution was tested at the various courts of record in the country and the courts have affirmed the supremacy of the party and its constitution,” the governor noted.
He commended the plaintiff for resorting to the court for seeking redress, stressing that Babangida’s action has further strengthened democratic practice and party politics.
The governor then called on party members to join hands with his administration in restoring the glory of the state.
“We have just started a mid-term assessment tour of all the local government councils to feel the purse of our people. We all need to come together and rebuild the Niger state to meet the dream of our founding fathers. Let us all join hands together and put the past behind us,” the governor advised.
Meanwhile, the APC state Secretary, Barrister Mohammed Liman while briefing the party chairman, Engineer Jibrin Imam and other party chieftains of the party of the outcome of the party, said that the apex court did not only uphold the judgement of the lower courts but the supremacy of the party.
He noted that the judgement of the apex court was predicated on section 87(9) of the party’s constitution which forbids anybody who did not participate in the party primary to challenge the outcome of the exercise.
Party faithful led by its Chairman, Engr Jibrin Imam Gawu, member of the state executive council led by Secretary to the State Government, and supporters trooped out to the Government House in Minna to jubilate with Governor Sani Bello over the Supreme Court judgement.