A Katsina State High Court has struck out a suit filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the conduct of last year’s ward, local government and state congresses in the state.
A former secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, alongside eight other stalwarts of the party had sued the party’s leadership over its refusal to sell expression of interest and nomination forms to some members of the party.
The plaintiffs said they filed the suit on behalf of 7,905 other members of the party who were aggrieved with the manner in which the congresses were conducted.
The PDP, which is the defendant in the suit, filed an objection through its counsel, seeking the court to strike out the suit on grounds of lack of jurisdiction and lack of competence.
In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Abbas Bawale, struck out the application filed by the plaintiffs on grounds that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
While citing different authorities, the judge ruled that party congresses are internal affairs of the party which the court should not meddle into.
While citing provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), the judge said the court only entertains cases bordering on grievances as a result of party primaries.
Meanwhile, counsel to the plaintiffs, Barr. Mustafa Shitu Mahuta, when contacted, expressed his clients’ dissatisfaction with the judgement and pledged to, on behalf of his clients, appeal the court’s decision.
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