Justice Aminu Bappa of the Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, on Tuesday, barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from contesting in the governorship election in the state after stopping them from conducting a fresh primaries.
The court had earlier anÂnulled the primaries that proÂduced Dauda Lawal Dare as guÂbernatorial candidate of PDP in Zamfara.
Lawal had polled 431 votes to win the governorship ticket in the party’s primary held on May 25, 2022.
Three other aspirants — Abubakar Nakwada, Wadatau Madawaki, and Ibrahim SheÂhu-Gusau — had earlier withÂdrawn from the race, alleging irregularities.
But Adamu Maina, the reÂturning officer for the primary, said their withdrawal was deÂclined since it was without forÂmal notice.
However, in June, SheÂhu-Gusau, Madawaki and Aliyu Hafiz Muhammad — another asÂpirant — filled a suit challenging the legality of the primary that produced Lawal as the party’s candidate.
They requested that the exerÂcise be annulled due to alleged anomalies, contradictions, fraud, violation of the electoral act and the party’s constitution, among others.
Delivering judgment in SepÂtember, Justice Aminu Bappa granted all the prayers of the plaintiffs and nullified the priÂmary.
He also ordered that a fresh primary should be conducted to produce a flagbearer, but Dare emerged winner of the fresh primary.
However, in a ruling on TuesÂday, Bappa nullified the primaÂries and held that PDP will not field any candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.
