The Court of Appeal in Kano has nullified the nomination of Danburam Nuhu as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Kano Central senatorial district.
The court presided by a three-man panel led by Justice Ita Mbaba subsequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Laila Buhari as the candidate of the party in the election.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that the PDP in Kano has been battling a leadership tussle that led to parallel primary elections which produced Nuhu and Buhari as parallel candidates of the party for the senatorial district.
But the appellate court in its decision obtained by Daily Trust Saturday on Friday held that Buhari, who was the appellant in the suit was the winner of the pre-election having won the majority of the lawful votes hence the order on the party to forward her name to the third respondent.
Buhari had filed an appeal before the court challenging the decision of the Federal High Court in Kano which recognized the primary elections that produced Nuhu.
The panel in the judgment however said, “the Appeal is allowed. Appellant was the person who emerged as winner of the pre-election having won the majority of the lawful votes. First respondent (PDP) is ordered to forward appellant’s name to the 3rd respondent (INEC).
“The 3rd respondent (INEC) is ordered to take notice of the appellant as candidate of the 1st respondent (PDP) at the election and to delete the name of the 2nd respondent (Nuhu Danburam Abubakar) forthwith.
“The 1st and 2nd respondent shall pay cost of N500,000 to the appellant. The cross appeal is dismissed with the cost of N500,000 against the 2nd respondent (Nuhu). The decision of the trial court is set aside,” the court held.
