By Mohammed Sanni,
Minna
Against the Court’s declaration mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to substitute the name of Senator David Umaru with that of Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa (Sani 313) as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Saturday’s National Assembly elections, the former has vowed to use same legal means to reclaim his mandate.
The directive to replace David Umaru with the name of Sani Musa is contained in a memo made available to newsmen Tuesday with reference number, INEC/LEG/DR/COR/32/1/ 391/T/11 with the title, “Forwarding of Commission’s decision pursuant to order of Court in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2018 Mohammed Sani Musa vs APC and 2 ORS”.
Consequently, INEC headquarters, Abuja has directed its Niger State office to substitute the name of incumbent Senator David Umaru with that of Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa (Sani 313), via a memo signed by the commissions’ National Secretary, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The document reads: “The Commission pursuant to the order of court in the above matter has directed that the name of David Umaru earlier published as the candidate of the APC for Niger-East Senatorial District be removed and replaced with the name of the plaintiff, Mohammed Sani Musa, pursuant to the order of Court in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2018 vs APC and 2 ORS.
“Two, you are requested to update your records with respect to the above in view of the final list of candidate earlier forwarded to you please.”
When contacted for further clarifications, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (Niger State), Professor Sam Egwu, confirmed receipt of the document.
The National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, penultimate week had forwarded the Abuja Federal High Court’s judgment which sacked Senator David Umaru as the candidate to the National Secretariat of the INEC.
Meanwhile, embattled Senator David Umaru has vowed to fight on to the Supreme Court level until he retrieves his mandate.
Umaru, who already filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja in which he is seeking an interlocutory injunction for Mohammed Sani Musa to stop parading himself as the APC candidate in this Saturday’s election.
Umaru who had served as the Senate Committee Chairman on Judiciary and Human Rights said, “I have won several legal battles, even my seat in the Senate I reclaimed it through the Courts. I am optimistic that I will still reclaim my mandate”.
However, Umaru and Sani Musa have told their respective supporters to ‘vote only for the brooms,’ the party’s symbol because the Court will take final decision on who will represent the Niger East senatorial district in the Upper Chamber.