By Kamsi Anayo
The Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara, has nullified the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that produced Dauda Lawan-Dare as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections in the state.
Justice Aminu Bappa-Aliyu, during the sitting in Gusau on Friday, ordered that the party should immediately conduct fresh governorship primaries.
The PDP governorship primaries held on May 25 and produced Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare, as the party’s governorship candidate for the state’s 2023 governorship election.
Three aspirants, who are plaintiffs in the suit, Dr Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau, Wadat Madawaki and Hafiz Muhammad, sought the nullification of the primary election over alleged irregularities.
The election was conducted by a committee sent from the PDP National Headquarters Abuja, led by Adamu Maina-Waziri.
The defendants are the PDP, Maina-Waziri, retired Col. Bala Mande, Zamfara PDP Chairman; Lawal-Dare, the PDP governorship candidate, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The presiding Judge, Mr Bappa-Aliyu said the court granted all the prayers of the plaintiffs.
“The court has granted the prayers submitted in this honorable court by the plaintiffs and hereby ruled in their favour.”
“The 109-page judgment will be presented to the counsel of both parties,” the judge said.
Addressing journalists at the court premises, the counsel to the plaintiffs Ibrahim Aliyu, said the court nullified the election of Dauda Lawan Dare based on the prayers they submitted before the court.
“We are happy today as the court has answered our prayers and cancelled the election of Dauda Lawan Dare as PDP candidate in Zamfara state.”
“Part of our prayers: we urged the court to nullify the primary elections because of series of irregularities and we are happy that our prayers were granted.”
Responding, the State Legal Adviser of the PDP, Bashir Masama who represented the defendants, said the PDP would study the judgment and take the necessary action.
“Yes, the judgement was in the favour of plantiffs and all the defendants are going to study it and take next action,” Masama added.