Lawan-Dare Re-emerges PDP Governorship Candidate in Zamfara

Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto

Dauda Lawan-Dare has re-emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2023 poll in Zamfara State.

Lawan-Dare was re-elected with 422 votes in the re-run primary ordered by a Federal High Court in Gusau.

Chairman of the PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee and Kaduna State PDP Chairman, Hassan Hyet, made the declaration at the conclusion of the exercise in Gusau.

Hyet said that Lawan-Dare polled 422 votes to beat his two opponents who scored one vote each. According to him, out of 431 accredited delegates, 428 cast the ballot in which four votes were declared invalid.

He said Lawan-Dare scored 422 votes, Ibrahim Shehu and Hafiz Nahuche scored one vote each.

He said: “Dr. Dauda Lawan-Dare, having scored the highest votes, is hereby declared as the winner and the  party’s gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming 2023 general election in Zamfara state.” Hyet noted that one of the aspirants Wadatau Madawaki had withdrawn from the race before the commencement of election.

The party had conducted mini ward and LGs congresses to include women in the delegates list that participated in the fresh governorship primary election ordered by the High Court.

Justice Aminu Bappah-Aliyu of the Federal High Court in Gusau, on September16, nullified the PDP primaries that Lawan-Dare was earlier declared winner. Lawal-Dare had, on May 26, emerged as the party’s governorship candidate.

He had polled 431 votes to win the ticket against Dr. Ibrahim Shehu who came second with five votes while Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki placed third with three votes.

The Federal High Court had granted the prayers of the aggrieved contestants and nullified the primary election, citing irregularities in the process.

 Bappah-Aliyu, in his ruling, also faulted the exclusion of women in the delegates that participated in the May 26 exercise.

He, therefore, ordered a fresh process that must include at least one-woman delegate from each of 147 wards in the state.