On Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s election of Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, as their senatorial candidate for the Kebbi Central District was declared invalid by the Federal High Court in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Babagana Ashigar, the trial judge, ruled in favour of Haruna Sa’idu.
Sa’idu argued that he is the bona fide senatorial candidate of the PDP for the Kebbi Central District.
He sued Aliero, the incumbent senator of the district, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a fresh primary for the Kebbi Central Senatorial District.
According to him, the fresh primary contravened the Electoral Act 2022.
Sa’idu argued that he was alive and didn’t withdraw from the contest, adding that his name was unlawfully substituted with that of Aliero, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP after a primary election was conducted.
However, Asghigar observed that when the first primary for the district was held, Aliero was in the APC.
However, the judge determined that, according to the exhibits 2, 21, 23, and 24, Sa’idu took part in the first primary and won it by garnering the most votes while the first defendant, Aliero, was still a member of the party in power.
“Since the first primary election was not challenged by the 1st defendant, it is in my humble view that the first primary election for Kebbi Central Senatorial district remained authentic.
“I, therefore, upheld all the prayers of the plaintiff,” Asghigar ruled.
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