The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State.
In a statement issued by Salihu Moh. Lukman, APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), the ruling party hinged its request on the recent court judgment.
The appeal from the ruling party read:
“With this judgement, as it stands now, PDP has no candidate for the March 11, 2023 governorship election in Zamfara State. The order of the Federal High Court, Gusau, presided by Honourable Justice Aminu B Aliyu, is that the PDP should conduct a valid primary election under the supervision of INEC for enlistment as PDP’s candidate for 2023 general election.
“INEC should therefore immediately delete the PDP and its claimed candidate for Zamfara State March 11, 2023 governorship election from the list of candidates.
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“PDP and any considered candidate for the party for 2023 governorship election should only be enlisted if provisions of the PDP 2017 Constitution as amended and provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 are met as directed by Honourable Justice Aminu B Aliyu.”
Explaining the details of what transpired, the APC, in the statement, wrote: “On Friday, September 16, 2022, Honourable Justice Aminu B Aliyu of Federal High Court, Gusau, delivered judgement on a matter brought before him by Dr Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, Aliyu Hafiz Muhammad and Mallam Wadatau Madawaki as plaintiffs against five defendants, namely, PDP, Adamu Maina Waziri (Chairman, Zamfara State Governorship Primary Election of the PDP, Col Bala Mande (retd) (Chairman, Zamfara State Chapter of the PDP, Dr Dauda Lawal Dare, and INEC.
“Having listened to submissions and evidence by both the Plaintiffs and Defendants, Honourable Justice Aminu B Aliyu gave the following orders:
“A declaration that the PDP governorship primary election in Zamfara State claimed to have been held on May 25, 2022 was conducted in flagrant violation of Section 50(2) (b) & (3) of the Constitution of the PDP 2017 (as amended). “A declaration that the importation of staunch members of the opposition party into the PDP’s list of delegates and the consequent failure to validly conduct accreditation of delegates and announcement of the total number of delegates accredited to vote at the PDP’s governorship primary election in Zamfara State on May 25, 2022 is a substantial irregularity and same is offensive to part V8(c) (d) (e) & (6) of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for conduct of Primary Election,” the statement read.
Explaining further, APC noted that “an order nullifying the PDP’s governorship primary election in Zamfara State claimed to have been held on the May 25, 2022, on the grounds of irregularities and non-compliance with the 2017 Constitution of the PDP as well as the Electoral Guidelines for the conduct of Primary Election.
“An order of injunction restraining the PDP from submitting the name of Dr Dauda Lawal Dare to be the PDP’s flag bearer for the governorship election in Zamfara State unless a valid Primary Election is conducted in compliance with the 2017 Constitution and Electoral Guidelines of the PDP.
“An order directing the PDP to conduct a valid primary election for governorship position in Zamfara State under the full supervision of INEC for enlistment as the PDP’s candidate for 2023 general election in Nigeria.
“An order directing INEC to accept the Governorship candidate of the PDP in Zamfara State for the 2023 General Election upon the valid conduct of Primary Election on the Order of Court.
“By its conduct, PDP is only working to win the 2023 elections through rigging. A party that manages its internal contests in breach of its own rules can only win elections by unfair and illegal means. Therefore, in addition to delisting PDP and its 2023 Governorship candidate for Zamfara State as directed by the order of the Federal High Court, Gusau, INEC must take every step to ensure that PDP’s conduct of disrespect for its own rules is not allowed to pollute the 2023 elections.
“Nigerian democracy has come of age. PDP must not be allowed to take Nigeria back to the dark period of unfair and illegal determination of election results based on imposition of candidates and winners of election, which is what the judgement by the Federal High Court, Gusau exposes.
“INEC and all patriotic Nigerians, especially APC leaders in the North-West and all our candidates for the 2023 elections at all levels must be very vigilant to stop the PDP from attempting to impose their ‘candidates’ as winners,” the party appealed.
