A state High Court sitting in Sokoto, Monday, dismissed a case filed by former governor of Sokoto state challenging the outcome of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) state local and ward congresses held recently.
The Attahiru Bafarawa led-faction of the party had recently filed the suit before the court challenging the conduct of primaries for allegedly denying some members loyal to him of participation in the congresses.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, took out a writ at the court for eleven plaintiffs who filed the suit in a representative capacity for some known and unknown members of the party.
The plaintiffs are challenging the conduct of the party preparatory to the conduct of its 2024 wards congresses in sokoto.
The plaintiffs alleged that the party refused to sell nomination forms to them in an apparent attempt to illegally exclude them from participating in the congress in order to clear the way to imposed consensus candidates in the state which their lawyer submitted to be illegal and against the letters and spirit of the party constitution, Electoral Act, 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
The counsel urged the court to declare the congresses null and void, and order for fresh and genuine congresses that would provide a level playing ground for all members, as enshrined in the party’s constitution.
In his submission, councel to the respondents, A.Y. Abubakar, who appeared alongside party legal adviser in the state Barr. Abdulrahman Tsamiya told the court that congresses are internal affairs of the party as he said, the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the case, therefore, urged the Court to strike out the case for lack of jurisdiction so also the that Plaintiffs doesn’t have locus standi to institute the action for not being a dully registered party members with all requirements required by the party’s constitution .
