The Supreme Court verdict on the Zamfara State primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) opened unexpected vistas for some political contesters to actualize their ambition through the judiciary.
On Friday, the Supreme Court delivered a judgement setting aside the claim by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State that it conducted primary polls for the 2019 elections in the state.
The court nullified all votes cast for the ruling APC and then ordered that parties with second highest votes and who met the constitutional requirements for the elections be declared winners of the elections. Thirty-five seats were contested for in the state. That is, the governorship, the three senatorial districts, seven House of Representatives positions and twenty-four state house of assembly seats.
As a result of the verdict, though the position of the governorship seem to be that of interest, many others are also beneficiaries of the Supreme Court’s judgement led by acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) Justice Mohammed Tanko. They are mainly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Daily Trust on Sunday presents a brief on some of them.
PDP governorship candidate: Dr Bello Muhammad Mutawalle
Dr. Mutawalle was born on December 12, 1969. He hails from Maradun Local Government Area and attended Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and Thames Valley University, London. He worked in various organizations including the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja before joining under defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in 1998.
He served as commissioner during the administration of former Governor of the state, Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima. He was elected as Member representing Bakura/Maradun Federal Constituency of the House of Representatives in 2003 and re-elected in 2007 and 2011. He contested for governorship in 2015 but was defeated at primaries by former Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi.
Senator Sahabi Yau Kaura (Zamfara North)
Born on June 16, 1956, Senator Kaura would be returning to the Senate four years after. He represented Zamfara North Senatorail District from 2011 – 2015. He was defeated in 2015 by APC’s Tijjani Yahaya Kaura. Senator Sahabi, who hails from Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, has been a PDP stalwart since the time of former governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi. He was Chairman, Kaura- Namoda Local Government Area of the state.
Alhaji Lawal Hassan, (Zamfara West)
Fifty-year-old Alhaji Hassan is a serving member representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives where he was elected on APC’s platform. He defected to
PDP when the APC denied him re-election ticket last year. Hassan contested for the Senate for Zamfara West Senatorial District under PDP. He was Director, Finance and Supply, Zamfara State/Fertilizer Company and the state Ministry of Finance.
Senator Hassan Nasiha (Zamfara Central)
Senator Nasiha was a Commissioner for Health during the administration of former Governor Yarima. He was elected as a Senator in 2007. He failed in his re-election bid after he was defeated by Kabiru Marafa of the now defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He is coming back to senate eight years after. He obtained a Diploma in Nursing & Midwifery and was Commissioner for Health, Commerce, Environment Water Resource, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between 1999 and 2007.
Atiku Mohammed (Bakura/Maradun Federal Constituency)
He was a former judiciary staff. He retired from the civil service about two years ago going into full-time politics soon after.
Shehu Ahmed (Maru/Bungudu Federal Constituency)
Alhaji Ahmed has been into partisan politics for long time now. He is the organizing secretary, Fulbe National development Association of Nigeria.
Kabiru Amadu ‘Mai Palace’ (Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency)
Alhaji Kabiru popularly known as “Mai Palace” is coming to the National Assembly for the first time. They fell apart with the incumbent member representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency.
Kabiru Yahaya (Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency)
Alhaji Yahaya otherwise known as “Kabiru Classic” is a popular musician in the state and environs. He is a staunch PDP supporter. His music is mainly praise songs in support of PDP and its chieftains.
Sulaiman Abubakar Mahmud Gummi (Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency)
Sulaiman is the son of late popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gummi. This is the first time he will be going to the National Assembly. He was a former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and started a private business. He is running an GO called “Victim of violence.”
Sani Umar Dan Galadima (Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency)
Alhaji Dan Galadima was a Member House of Representatives representing Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji from 2007 to 2011. He defected to PDP and was defeated by the incumbent Aminu Sani Jaji in 2015. He hails from Birnin Magaji Local Government Area.
Alhaji Bello Hassan (Shinkafi/Zurmi Federal Constituency) Alhaji Hassan taught in primary school. He later left civil service and started private engagements before he joined politics. He hails from Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
