Appeal Court Nullifies Zamfara PDP Guber Primary

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto has nullified the candidature of the Governorship Candidate of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, and dismissed his appeal.  

The court, which was presided over by Justice Muhammad Shuaibu, in an unanimous judgment said that the appeal is abuse of judicial process and lacked merit.

Shuaibu further explained that the appellant has no right to appeal the judgment he has already complied with.

He noted that the appeal is an academic exercise and, therefore, awarded N100,000 against the appellant to be paid to the respondents. It has been recalled that Mr. Ibrahim Shehu, the gubernatorial candidate of People Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State, has challenged the emergence of Lawal as PDP’s candidate in Zamfara State, saying that the election that returned him was marred with irregularities and noncompliance with Electoral Act and PDP’s guidelines.

Being dissatisfied, Shehu approached Federal High Court, Gusau, which later nullified the primary and ordered PDP to conduct rerun within 14 days.

The PDP complied with the judgment and conducted the rerun and Dauda Lawal re-emerged, but Shehu again approached the same high court stressing that there was no election. The court ruled in his favour saying that the PDP has no governorship candidate for 2023 election.

Responding the Lawyer to the Appellants, Mr. Aminu Aliyu, said that his client has opportunity of appealing the judgment in Supreme Court.

Also, the Attorney to the Respondents, Mr. Ndiana Anaka, said that the judgment is a victory for democracy and rule of law.

He maintained that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.