The Supreme Court on Monday affirmed Senator Adamu Aliero as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the Kebbi Central Senatorial District of Kebbi state in the forthcoming general election.
In a lead judgment by Justice Centus Nweze which was delivered by Justice Amina Augie, the apex allowed Aliero’s appeal and declared that, “the judgment of the lower court, which declared Saidu Haruna as the winner of the Kebbi Central Senatorial District primary is hereby set aside.”
However, while four justices on the panel unanimously agreed with the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim dissented in his judgement.
The judgment was on an appeal by Aliero challenging the decision of the lower courts which nullified his candidacy.
It would be recalled that, the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, had last in November year, struck out the suit filed by Aliero challenging the decision of the Federal High Court on the party’s primary election in Kebbi State.
The judgement of the Appellate court, delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma upheld the ruling of Justice Babagana Ashigar of a Federal High Court, Birnin Kebbi, which declared Haruna Saidu as PDP candidate.
The respondents in the appeal were the PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Ashigar had, on September 27, 2022, upheld the primary election that produced Saidu as senatorial candidate for Kebbi Central.
The appellate court judge said he perused all the arguments presented by different counsel, citations of court judgments and other judicial considerations to arrive at the decision.
He dismissed the suit for lack of merit and upheld the lower court’s judgment.
