A Yola High Court has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held in Gombi Local Government Area Adamawa State ahead of November 9th Local Government elections in the state.
According to the court, the entirety of the primaries conducted by the party in the affected LGA on the 21st September, 2019 stands void, as it was carried out in contempt of a valid order by the court of law.
The court had on 19th September, 2019 issued an exparte order restraining the party from conducting the primaries slated for 21st September, 2019, for the chairmanship in the LGA, pending the hearing of the complainant's originating summons.
An Aspirants, Hon. Abdulrahman Dauda, had filed a suit seeking the order of the court to restraint PDP from conducting primaries following what he described as unlawful disqualification from participating in the exercise, but the party went ahead and conducted the primaries on the 21st September, 2019.
Hon. Dauda, was disqualified by the party in the LGA over alleged failure to tender original copy of his diploma certificate, but dissatisfied with the decision, he later appealed the matter to the Local Government and Ward Congress Appeal Committee constituted by the party at the state level to look into the grievances of the contenders who were disqualified because of one reason or the other.
The Appeal Committee during it sitting, went ahead and upheld the decision of the PDP in the LGA, disqualifying Hon. Dauda, from running the race for the number one office in the LG.
The embattled aspirant later approached the Yola High Court presided by Honourable Justice Danladi Mohammed, and obtained court order on 19th November, 2019, restraining the PDP in the LGA from conducting the primaries scheduled for 21st November, 2019, until the determination of the suit.
Hon. Dauda, had earlier told the court that the minimum qualification stipulated in the constitution for an aspirant/ candidate to contest the office of LG chairman is secondary school certificate which according to him, he duly tendered it before the party at the LG level.
He argued that with or without diploma, he stands a good chance to slug it out, and that he did see reason behind his exclusion by his party, saying after all, he later presented the original copy of his certificate as sought by the party but could not be considered.
But in his ruling on suit number ADS/117m/2019, Justice Danladi Mohammed, said he maintains his earlier order restraining the conduct of primaries held on the 21st November, 2019, and adjourned the matter to 13th November, 2019 for hearing.
With this ruling, it is not yet clear whether the PDP in the Gombi LGA will take part in the scheduled November 9th LG polls or not, because according to the time table of the State Independent Electoral Commission(SIEC), it is on 21st October, 2019, that the names of the successfully screened candidates will be displayed.
But documents in possession of NEWS PLATFORM indicated that the electoral body has received the copy of the court ruling on 11th October, 2019.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola the Adamawa State capital has reserved the case of Hon. Bema Olvadi Madayi against Hon. Barr. Kwamoti Laori, incumbent member representing Numan, Demsa and Lamurde at the Federal House of Representatives.
Hon. Bema, APC candidate for the House Representatives appealed the recent decision of the Election Petition Tribunal, where it affirmed the election of Hon. Barr. Kwamoti(PDP); thereby dismissing her petition for lack of merit.
But the Apex court after hearing the matter at yesterday's session, reserved the case for judgement which will be delivered on or before 29th of this month.
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