- For Kebbi Central and Kebbi North districts
BY ABDULLAHI IBRAHIM – Respite has come for the former Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero as the Supreme Court on Monday validated his victory as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kebbi Central Senatorial District.
A five-member panel of justices, led by Justice China Centus Nweze, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier dismissed the appeal by Senator Aliero challenging a Federal High Court ruling on the PDP’s primary.
In the majority judgement read by Justice Amina Augie, the panel held that Aliero’s appeal challenging the declaration of Saidu Haruna as the PDP candidate for the senatorial district was meritorious and therefore declared him as the authentic flag bearer of the party in the election schedule for Saturday, February 25, 2023.
According to the Supreme Court panel, Aliero’s appeal “is pregnant with merit and is accordingly allowed”, adding that; “The judgement of the lower court, which declared Saidu Haruna as winner of the Kebbi Central Senatorial District primary election is hereby set aside.”
All Judges in the panel agreed with the judgement which had Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim JSC as the only dissenting voice.
So come February 25 National Assembly poll, Senator Aliero will be up against Governor Atiku Bagudu, who is also contesting the Kebbi Central senatorial district on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.
The 66 years old Aliero was the Kebbi State Governor from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He later became the Senator representing Kebbi Central at the National Assembly between June 5, 2007 and December 18, 2008.
Also, from 2008 to 2010, he served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua. He left office in March 2010 when then Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has also affirmed Dr Abubakar Yahaya Abdullahi as the PDP Candidate for Kebbi North Senatorial District, comprising Arewa Dandi, Argungu, Augie, Bagudo, Dandi, Jega, and Suru Local Government Areas.
Like ex-Governor Aliero, the former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdullahi also resigned from the APC following disagreements with the State Party’s leadership and joined the PDP after the first primary had been conducted and won by Hon. Sani Bawa Argungu.
However, Abdullahi, an incumbent Senator, won the PDP re-run only for Justice Ashigar to nullify his candidacy and uphold Argungu as the valid candidate, a decision that was also endorsed by the Appeal Court, Sokoto division.
With Monday’s ruling by the Supreme Court overturning the judgments of the lower Courts, Senator Abdullahi has been confirmed as the authentic PDP candidate for the upcoming polls.
