Supreme Court Confirms Usman As PDP Candidate In Kaduna Central

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that Lawal Adamu Usman was the PDP’s legitimate candidate for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District race.

An appeal filed by Usman Ibrahim, a disgruntled party candidate for governor, was dismissed as lacking merit by the top court in a unanimous ruling by a five-member panel.
The panel, presided over by Judge Inyang Okoro, declared that it had found no cause to overturn the Court of Appeal’s earlier ruling that had similarly dismissed Ibrahim’s appeal.

It will be noted that Usman was reinstated as the PDP’s candidate for the senate election scheduled for February 25 by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal in a decision it issued on December 19, 2022.

The appellate court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize Usman’s candidacy, after it voided the verdict of the Federal High Court in Kaduna which had nullified the primary election the party conducted for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

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The trial court had in its judgement, invalidated the outcome of the primary poll and ordered a re-run.

Sequel to the court order, PDP conducted a fresh primary election that was also won by Usman.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the re-run poll and publication of Usman’s name by INEC, Ibrahim, who came second at the poll that was held on May 23, 2022, returned to court to quash the result.
In his judgement, trial Justice Mohammed Umar upheld the case of the plaintiff, stressing that the fresh poll was not conducted with substantial compliance with both the Electoral Act and the PDP guidelines for elections.

Not happy with the decision, Usman took the case before the Court of Appeal and won.
While deciding the matter, Justice Peter Affen, who delivered the lead judgement of the appellate court, held that the trial court lacked the requisite jurisdiction to meddle in the domestic affair of a political party.

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The appellate court held that under the Electoral Act, the party, through its National Working Committee, NWC, possessed the power to nominate a candidate to sponsor for an election.

It, therefore, reinstated Usman as the candidate of the party for the senatorial election.

However, determined to set aside the verdict, Ibrahim lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court.

Delivering judgement in the matter on Friday, the apex court held that the appeal was unmeritorious and accordingly dismissed it.
Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, who delivered the lead verdict of the apex court on the matter, held that the decision of the NWC of the party could not be faulted.

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