2023: Court bars Adamawa Speaker’s PDP senatorial bid

November 28, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court, sitting in Yola, Adamawa, has barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from contesting the Adamawa central senatorial election in 2023.

The ruling followed a judgement in a suit filed by Mohammed Modibbo, against the PDP primary election for the senatorial District, conducted in May.

Aminu Iya-Abbas, the speaker of the Adamawa state house of assembly, had polled 125 votes to defeat Awwal Tukur, son of the former PDP national chairman, Bamangar Tukur, who polled 54 votes.

The other aspirants who participated in the primary included D.D. Azura, Mohammed Modibbo, Ibrahim Mustapha, Ibrahim Abubakar, Daniel Bwala, and Abdullahi Prambe.

Dissatisfied with the primary’s result, Modibbo filed a lawsuit challenging the conduct of the election.

He contended that Tukur, a political appointee, who hadn’t quit his position as chairman of the governing council of Adamawa State University, ought not to have participated in the process.

Delivering judgement on Monday, the presiding judge, Abdulaziz Anka, voided the PDP senatorial primary for Adamawa central.

The judge held that Turkur’s participation violated the Electoral Act 2022, hence “the entire process is hereby nullified.”

According to the court, “The only issue proved before the court is as regards the fourth defendant’s engagement in the primary election conducted, him being a political appointee, i.e. chairman, governing council, Adamawa State University, Mubi.

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“Accordingly, the entire process is hereby nullified by this honourable court, the consequence of which the party will not be able to field a candidate for the general election come 2023 because of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

“This is the consequential judgement of the court, against the entire political party and its members.”