Court Nullifies Aliero, Abdullahi PDP Senatorial Tickets

Federal High Court in Birnin Kebbi has nullified the election of as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for Kebbi Central senatorial district in the forthcoming general election.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to substitute Aliero’s name with Haruna Saidu as the substantive PDP candidate for the senatorial district poll in 2023 elections.

Also yesterday, the same court invalidated the election of a former Senate leader, Dr Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi as the PDP’s candidate for Kebbi North senatorial district in the general election.

The court declared the plaintiff, Hon Sani Bawa Argungu, as the rightful candidate of PDP for the senatorial race in the district. Argungu who sued Abdullahi, the PDP and INEC, asked the court to award him the ticket.

In the Aliero case, Justice Babagana G. Ashigar, who delivered the judgement, said Aliero (former governor of Kebbi State) was not elected in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

He said the court nullified the election following the primary election conducted in the state by PDP in May which was marred by irregularities. He also held that the PDP did not give fair hearing to Haruna Saidu following a petition on allegation of forged signatures. The court held that he was not served with a copy of the petition brought against him.

The judge said INEC unlawfully excluded the plaintiff’s name (Saidu) from the primary participated by Aliero when he won the first primary. The judge declared that the primary that produced Aliero was a nullity. The judgment followed an application by Haruna Saidu against Senator Aliero, PDP and INEC.

The judge also said Aliero has the right of appeal to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court if he was not satisfied with the court’s judgment.

In the second case, Argungu asked the court to declare that by the combined provision of Section 84(5) ( c)(I) (II) of the Electoral Act 2022(as amended), Article 2, 50(1), (2), (c) and 50(4) of the Constitution of the PDP, 2017 (as amended), Article 5(i)(ii) , 9(a) (d) and 11 of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for Primary Election and Articles 1,7.16 and 17(a) of the  INEC Regulation for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries and the PDP Result Sheet for the party’s primaries for Kebbi North Senatorial District, the plaintiff who scored a total of 038 votes and became the first runner up at the PDP (2nd defendant) primary for Kebbi North Senatorial District on 24th May 2022 is the lawful and validly nominated candidate of PDP for Kebbi North Senatorial District at the February 2023 polls.

He said he should be declared the PDP’s candidate since the initial candidate duly nominated withdrew his candidacy. Argungu also sought a declaration that he is the “duly nominated candidate of the 2nd defendant (PDP) for the Kebbi North Senatorial District , vide the result and declaration of the primary election declared on the 24” day of May, 2022 in view of the withdrawal of the candidate duly nominated.”

Arun asked for a declaration that any other primary election purportedly conducted for the Kebbi North Senatorial District, aside the one validly conducted on the 24th day of May, 2022 and monitored by the 3rd Defendant (INEC) is invalid, null and void and without any effect whatsoever.

In a certified copy of the judgment, Justice Ashigar said, “The 3rd defendant (INEC) is hereby ordered to accept and recognize the plaintiff (Sani Bawa Argungu) as the only lawful candidate of PDP for Kebbi North Senatorial District in the general elections.”