Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked an Abuja division of the Federal High Court to sack Bello Matawalle as governor of northwest Zamfara state over his defection to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP, in the suit it filed through two of its members in Zamfara state, Sani Kaura Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammed, argued that in view of an earlier judgment of the supreme court, to the effect that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara state having not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle to retain his office as it amounts to transferring PDP’s victory to the APC.
The plaintiffs, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/489/2021, contended that since Matawalle abandoned the party through which he ascended to power, he has lost his ticket to remain in office.
They have demanded that the court orders the resignation of governor Matawalle and his deputy from office to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conduct fresh election for their replacement within three months.
Matawalle had defected to the APC on June 29 promising that his defection will ensure Zamfara experience growth.
Mahdi Gusau, the deputy governor of Zamfara, has refused to defec to the APC.
Meanwhile, following an ex-parte application the plaintiffs moved through their lawyer, Kanu Agabi, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, issued an order for the court processes to be served on the defendants through substituted means.
Specifically, the court directed that the processes be served on the defendants through the national secretariat of APC in Abuja.
The matter has been adjourned till July 16 for mention.
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