PDP Kaduna central: Supreme court affirms Lawal Usman’s candidacy

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The Supreme Court has affirmed Lawal Adamu Usman as the Senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Kaduna Central Senatorial District of Kaduna State.
The 5-man panel of the court, by the judgement, dismissed the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which had earlier voided and set aside the decision of a Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Delivering judgment in an appeal filed by an aggrieved Senatorial aspirant, Mr. Ibrahim Usman, the Supreme Court held that courts have no jurisdiction to dabble into the internal and domestic affairs of political parties.
Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, dismissed the appeal for want of merit.
The panel held that the decision of the PDP National Working Committee on the May 23, 2022 primary election was correct and cannot be faulted.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, had on December 19, 2022, reinstated Lawal Adamu Usman as the candidate of the PDP after his removal by a Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, which had nullified the primary election for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
After nullifying the primary election, the trial court ordered a re-run, which Usman again won and his name subsequently published by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, as the PDP candidate.
But Lawal Adamu’s victory was challenged in Federal High Court by Usman Ibrahim who came second in the primary election held on the 23rd of May 2022.
According to the High Court judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, the claims of the plaintiff (Ibrahim) were substantial and consequently declared the primary election null and void.
But, the Court of Appeal in its judgment delivered by Justice Peter Affen held that the High Court lacked the jurisdiction to inquire into the internal affairs of the PDP.
Consequently, the appeal was upheld and judgment of the high court was set aside.