From Umar Dankano, Yola.
The Federal High Court I, Yola has annulled the senatorial primary for Adamawa Central Senatorial District, conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party, won by the Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly, Aminu Iya-Abbas.
Delivering the ruling in Yola Monday, Justice Abdulaaziz Anka, in a suit filed by Mohammed Modibbo against the Peoples Democratic Party and 4 others, voided the senatorial primary elections for Adamawa Central conducted by the PDP.
Anka held that the participation of the fourth defendant, Chairman, Governing Council Adamawa State University, Alhaji Auwal Tukur, as a political appointee without compliance to the new Electoral Act 2022 violated the process, hence “the entire process is hereby nullified.”
He said, “The only issue proved before the court is as regards the fourth defendant’s engagement in the primary election conducted, him being a political appointee i.e chairman governing council Adamawa State University, Mubi, accordingly, the entire process is hereby nullified by this honourable court. The consequence, of which the party, will not be able to field a candidate for the general election come 2023 because of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. This is the consequential judgement of the court, against the entire political party and it’s members.”
Recalled that, speaker Iya-Abbas, defeated Tukur, son of former chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur and five other aspirants that includes, Barrister D. D. Azura, Mohammed Modibbo, Ibrahim Mustapha, Ibrahim Abubakar and Hon. Abdullahi Prembe, to clinch the senatorial ticket of the PDP, for Adamawa Central Senatorial District.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the primary, Modibbo instituted a suit challenging the conduct of the primaries, especially whether Auwal Tukur, as a political appointee having not resigned his appointment, was eligible to participate in the primaries.
Hence, the court in it’s ruling therefore voided the election on the grounds that Tukur’s participation, in the senatorial primary conducted by the PDP, violated the Electoral Act 2022.
Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the Speaker, Barrister Shaver Tersoo said they may appeal the ruling after due consultation with his client.
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