Speaking to newsmen at the conclusion of court proceedings on Tuesday, Barrister Bello Galadi, defense counsel to the primary respondent, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, confirmed the development. He noted that the day’s sitting was centered entirely on the formal adoption of written briefs submitted by all participating parties.
Galadi explained that following the receipt of the appellant's brief of argument, the defense team promptly drafted and filed a reply within the timeframe dictated by appellate procedures. With the appellants responding on points of law, all procedural requirements were met, enabling the court to receive the final written arguments.
"We successfully adopted the respondent’s brief of argument on behalf of my client, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi," Galadi stated. He added that while the appellate panel formally reserved its decision, no firm date was announced; the court indicated that all legal teams would be notified once the final draft of the judgment is ready.
Reacting to the proceedings, Dr. Shinkafi—a prominent aspirant for the seat—remained optimistic about securing a favorable outcome. He voiced strong confidence that the Court of Appeal will sustain the ruling of the Federal High Court, which previously set aside the disputed nomination exercise.
Shinkafi emphasized that his optimism stems from the documentary evidence admitted at the trial court level. According to him, the records clearly demonstrate that the conduct of the primary election violated both the provisions of the Electoral Act and the APC’s internal guidelines for candidate selection.
The current appeal stems from an earlier verdict delivered by the lower court, which annulled the APC senatorial primaries in the district over gross non-compliance with statutory electoral standards.
