By: Yahaya Zakka Minna.
The Federal High Court Minna has adjourned for hearing to 9-11-2022 of a suit challenging Honourable Abubakar Lado as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC for the Gurara/Tafa/Suleja federal constituency of Niger state in the 2023 general elections.
In a suit filled by Alhaji Haruna Arafat Magaji, the plaintiff,at the Federal High Court Minna Challenging the authentication of Honourable Abubakar Lado as the candidate of the party in a Primary election conducted by APC.that filled him as the Party’s candidate on the 31st May 2022, after the first primaries held on May 27th, that was marred by violence.
The Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Aliyu Hussaini in an interview with journalists in Minna said that APC sent the name of Honourable Abubakar Lado to INEC as its candidate for the Primarily election in error instead of Alhaji Haruna Arafat Magaji who won the rescheduled Primarily election conducted by the Party.
He claimed that his client Honourable Haruna Arafat Magaji won the Primaries and APC has admitted the error it made in forwarding Honourable Abubakar Lado’s name to INEC, saying that “why we are in court is for an order to this effect, to correct the error made by the Party, by wrongfully submitting Honourable Abubakar Lado s name to INEC instead of Honourable Haruna Arafat Magaji who legitimately won the Primaries conducted by the Party “.
Also speaking with journalists, Barrister Chris Isuagu, counsel to Honourable Abubakar Lado who is the incumbent member representing the federal constituency at the National Assembly, argued that there was no other primaries held other than that of the May 27th held at Suleja stadium.
According to him, “Honourable Lado won that primaries monitored by INEC in state. adding that his name was forwarded by APC to INEC as the Party’s candidate of the constituency and INEC published his name in June 2022”.
However, counsel to APC, Barrister Blessing Jaye filed application for extension of time within which to regularise counter affidavit in response to process before the court as a new counsel to the party in the case.
The presiding judge, Justice Aminu Garba implored the counsels to the parties to cooperate with the court by avoiding frivolous applications and seeking unnecessary adjournment to enable the conclusion of the case within specified period for pre- election matters.
