Appeal Court clears PDP for Zamfara governorship election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto State has set aside the judgement of the Zamfara Federal High Court, barring the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from participating in the forthcoming Governorship election in the state.

A Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara, had nullified the primary election which produced Dauda Lawal Dare as gubernatorial candidate of PDP in Zamfara.

Dare had polled 431 votes to win the governorship ticket in the party’s primary held on May 25, 2022.

Three other aspirants — Abubakar Nakwada, Wadatau Madawaki, and Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau — had earlier withdrawn from the race, alleging irregularities.

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But Adamu Maina, the returning officer for the primary, said their withdrawal was declined since it was without formal notice.

However, in June, Shehu-Gusau, Madawaki and Aliyu Hafiz Muhammad — another aspirant — filled a suit challenging the legality of the primary that produced Lawal as the party’s candidate.

They requested that the exercise be annulled due to alleged anomalies, contradictions, fraud, violation of the electoral act and the party’s constitution, among other things.

Delivering judgment in September, Justice Aminu Bappa granted all the prayers of the plaintiffs and nullified the primary.

He also ordered that a fresh primary should be conducted to produce a flagbearer, but Dare emerged winner of the fresh primary.

However, in another ruling, Bappa nullified the primaries and held that PDP will not be field any candidate for the 2023 Governorship election in the state.

But on Friday, the appeal court in Sokoto set aside the judgement.