Zamfara: Court strikes out judgement in favour of dissolved PDP leadership

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

The Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto state has struck out judgement earlier passed by the Federal High Court Gusau presided over by Justice Fatima Murtala Aminu which was in favour of the dissolved Zamfara state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leadership under the chairmanship of Senator Hassan Muhammad Nasiha.
This was contained in a copy of Judgement by the Court of Appeal Sokoto which was released to the newly elected PDP Executive Committee of Zamfara state under the chairmanship of Nasiru Abubakar Milo last week Friday and made available to Peoples Daily in Gusau the state capital yesterday.
The presiding Judge, Justice Frederick O. Oho said, the Federal High Court in Gusau lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit by the dissolved PDP leadership filed before it.
“Whether the provisions of section 47(1) of the Constitution of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, 2012 as amended and considering the fact that the Zamfara State PDP Executive Committee was elected into office at the Congress held on 20th September 2001.
“The defendants have the legal competence to direct for State Congress to be held in Zamfara state for the purpose of electing State Executive Committee before the lapse of four years tenure,” Justice Frederick said.
The defendants before the Federal High Court Gusau as referred by the Court of appeal were the then national Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Victor Kwom, Hon. Akinlade Abiodun and Mr. Obina Anosike.
He further said, “It is after all, a notorious principle of law that the Courts generally have no business meddling in the internal affairs of political parties on issues bothering on how they run their parties or even on the question of how they choose their candidates for elective offices”.