The Federal High Court, Minna has fixed November 9, 2022 for hearing of the suit challenging Honourable Abubakar Lado as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Gurara/Tafa/Suleja federal constituency of Niger state in the 2023 general elections.
In the case instituted by Alhaji Haruna Abubakar Arafat Magaji, the plaintiff is claiming the authentic candidate of the party in the federal constituency having been elected in a rescheduled party primaries held on 31st May 2022, after the first primaries held on May 27th, was marred by violence.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Aliyu Hussaini said in an interview with journalists in Minna on Monday that APC sent the name of Honourable Lado to INEC as its candidate for the election in error instead of Alhaji Haruna Arafat Magaji who won the rescheduled primaries.
He argued that APC has admitted the error it made in forwarding Honourable Lado’s name to INEC, adding that “all we need now is a court order to this effect and this why we approach the court”
Also speaking with journalists, Barrister Chris Isuagu, counsel to Honourable Lado who is the incumbent member representing the federal constituency at the National Assembly, argued that there was no other primaries held other than that of the May 27th held at Suleja stadium.
According to him, “Honourable Lado won that primaries monitored by INEC in Niger state. His name was forwarded by APC to INEC as its candidate of the constituency and INEC published Lado’s name in June 2022”.
However, counsel to APC, Barrister Blessing Jaye filed application for extension of time within which to regularise counter affidavit in response to process before the court as a new counsel to the party in the case.
The presiding judge, Justice Aminu Garba implored the counsels to the parties to cooperate with the court by avoiding frivolous applications and seeking unnecessary adjournment to enable the conclusion of the case within specified period for pre- election matters.