By Habibu Harisu
The Court of Appeal Sokoto division on Wednesday struck out a suit filed by the PDP in Zamfara by the Governorship candidate, Alhaji Lawal Dare and others for lack of merit.
Other appellants are Adamu Maina-Waziri, chairman PDP primary election committee in Zamfara and rtd Col. Bala Mande.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP Governorship Primary in the state which held on May 25, produced Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2023 general elections in the state.
Delivering a ruling, Justice Lawal Shu’aibu, who read the lead judgment on behalf of two others dismissed the suit for lacked merit.
The court held that the suit was a mere academic exercise.
Shu’aibu dismissed the preliminary objections as it was the bedrock of any judicial by statue and constitution as well as awarded N100,000 cost against the Appellants before he disgested the substance suit.
The respondents are Dr Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau, Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, Hafiz Nahuche and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Shu’aibu upheld the decision by the Federal High Court in Zamfara that nullified the May. 25, PDP 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 the state.
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 Counsel, citations of court judgments and other judicial considerations and arrived at the decision, thereby dismissed the suit based on lacked of merits and uphold the lower court judgment. (NAN)
