Kano: Appeal Court Affirms Wali As PDP Guber Candidate, Sacks Abacha

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano on Friday affirmed Sadiq Wali as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The appellate court set aside the judgment of a High Court which recognised Muhammad Abacha as the governorship candidate of the party.

The three-man panel in the ruling read by Justice Usman Musale directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognise Wali as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP for Kano state.

The panel held that the law is clear that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party can conduct the gubernatorial primary elections of a party and since Abacha did not participate in the primary election conducted by NEC that produced Wali and thus had no locus standi to challenge the said primary.

The court judgement is coming after the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar during his campaign rally in Kano on Thursday failed to endorse either of the parallel governorship candidates.

Despite the candidates being on the podium, Atiku and the leadership of the party failed to recognise either of the candidates pending the court ruling.

Atiku and the party leadership were mindful of endorsing either of the candidates and the court ruling otherwise.