Appeal Court Upholds Nullification Of Zamfara PDP Guber Primary

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Sokoto, has struck out the suit filed by the People Democratic Party (PDP) and their Governorship candidate, asking it to reverse the decision of the Federal High Court in Gusau.

Justice M.L. Shu’aibu, the presiding judge who read the unanimous judgement on behalf of two others dismissed their entire suit for lack of merits, describing it as a mere academic exercise.

Justice Shu’aibu further awarded N100,000 cost against the Appellants.

Respondents in the suit were Dr Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau, Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, Hafiz Nahuche and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Shu’aibu however, upheld the decision of the Federal High Court in Zamfara state that nullified the May. 25, 2022 PDP’s primary election which produced Dare as Governorship candidate over substantive irregularities.

He said the Appellants had complied with lower court judgement delivered by Justice Aminu Bappah-Aliyu and participated in the ordered fresh primary primary election which was also conducted in Sept. 23.

He further said participating in the fresh primary election, testimonies of witnesses and documents submitted as exhibits, the Appellants had agreed with the violation of electoral acts as well as stipulated PDP guidelines.

The Appeal Court Judge said he perused all the arguments presented by different Counsels, citations of court judgements and other judicial considerations and arrived at the decision, thereby dismissed the suit based on lacked of merits and uphold the lower court judgement.