The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani) have vowed to appeal a tribunal judgement on Saturday which affirmed the election of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Both the APC and Binani have in separate reactions asserted that the tribunal will not be the stop for them as they would seek answers to their queries in higher jurisdictions.
Fintiri was earlier on Saturday affirmed by the Adamawa State governorship election petitions tribunal as the validly elected governor of the State, saying Binani was unable to prove her case against Fintiri, and that the suspended resident electoral commissioner, Hudu Ari-Yunusa, was wrong to have declared Binani winner at a time in the course of announcing results of the election.
Responding to the judgement, however, the state Chairman of the APC, Idris Shuaibu, said the verdict was a shock to him and the APC, but that they were not alarmed.
He said: “We have hope, as we have two more avenues after tribunal to express our grievances and for the tribunal judgement to be upturned.”
Shuaibu said the party would liase with the national leadership to apply for the certified records of the judgement and head for the Court of Appeal, because, in his words, “This judgement is not the true reflection of Adamawa voters’ mandate.”
Speaking in the course of an interaction with newsmen, the APC State chairman thanked party members for all efforts shown before, during and after the Saturday tribunal judgement.
“The APC in Adamawa State is no doubt focused and resolute to pursue all legal means to get our mandate,” Shuaibu said.
Speaking in the same vein, Binani has said that though her faith was not in her own hands, she was sure that all avenues would be exploited to address her case.
“It’s no longer about Binani. The next step is a collective undertaking. Tribunal is just the first stage, there are the appeal and the supreme courts. We shall make the next steps known after consultations in due course, in God’s name.”