Appeal Court Sacks Muhammad Abacha, Recognises Wali as PDP Gov Candidate in Kano

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Kano Division of the Court Appeal yesterday set aside the judgement of a High Court that recognised Muhammad Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State.

Delivering the unanimous judgement, Justice Usman Musale-led three-man panel held that Abacha had no locus to challenge the primary that produced Sadiq Wali since he never participated in the primary election.

The court also ordered that Wali, who was earlier recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), remains the valid governorship candidate of the PDP.

One of the Counsels to Wali, Abdurrahman Mukhtar hailed the court’s verdict saying it restates the position of the law that only the national headquarters of the party has the power to conduct party primaries not the state chapter.

On his part, the counsel to Mohammed Abacha, Saidu Tudun-Wada, said they will obtain the court proceeding, study the judgement and advise their client accordingly on the next line of action.

It would be recalled that on December 22, 2022, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano declared Mohammad Abacha as the duly elected governorship candidate of the PDP and nullified the primary election that produced Wali as the candidate.