The decision of a High Court recognizing Muhammad Abacha as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor of Kano State was overturned by the Court of Appeal in Kano State on Friday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initially recognized Sadiq Wali as the PDP’s legitimate candidate for governor in the state, but the Appeal Court ruled that he must continue to serve in that capacity.
The appellate court stated that the law is clear and that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP is authorized to conduct a party’s gubernatorial primary elections in a three-man panel’s unanimous decision, which was read by Justice Usman Musale.
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The panel also stated that Abacha lacked locus standi to contest the NEC’s primary election that produced Wali because he didn’t take part in it.
Recall that Abacha and Wali, two parallel candidates for governor of Kano State, emerged as a result of a leadership crisis within the PDP.