The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship primary election held in Zamfara state on May 25, 2022 has been invalidated.
Justice Aminu Bappa of the Gusau division of the Federal High Court on Friday nullified the election which produced Dauda Lawal as the State Governorship Candidate.
Ruling in favour of the plaintiffs, the judge granted all the reliefs sought and ordered a rerun of the election in line with PDP’s constitution and guidelines.
Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau and two other PDP governorship aspirants had approached the court seeking nullification of the primary election conducted by the Adamu Maina-Waziri Committee.
They prayed the court to annul the outcome of the elections over alleged irregularities. According to them, the primary election was not conducted in compliance with PDP’s constitution.
Consequently, they prayed the court for an order for a Rerun of the primary election in line with the guidelines and constitution of PDP.
In response, the defendants raised preliminary objections on whether the court has the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
While the three aspirants are the plaintiffs in the case, the defendants include; Dauda Lawal (PDP governorship candidate), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Chairman of Zamfara PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee, Adamu Maina-Waziri and the Chairman of Zamfara State PDP, Bala Mande.
Ruling on the preliminary objection raised by the defendants, the court held that it has jurisdiction to entertain the matter as the matter is a pre-election matter.
Delivering judgement in the suit, the judge said, “The court has granted the prayers submitted in this honourable court by the plaintiffs and hereby rule in their favour.”
“The 109-page judgement will be presented to the counsels of both the plaintiffs and the defendants,” the judge held.