Court adjourns Shinkafi’s suit against APC, INEC to July 28

By Idris Salisu, Gusau

The Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, on Tuesday adjourned until July 28 the suit filed by Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi challenging his disqualification from contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Zamfara North.

The presiding judge, Justice Dikko Hassan, fixed the new date after hearing arguments on affidavits, counter-affidavits and preliminary objections filed by both the plaintiff and the defendants.

Shinkafi is challenging the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Senator Sahabi Ya’u over his exclusion from the party’s primary election, which produced Senator Ya’u as the APC candidate for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.

The proceedings were conducted virtually, as the presiding judge did not sit physically in court.

Shinkafi, who contested in the APC primary held on May 19, is asking the court to determine the legality of his disqualification. He alleged that the primary election was fraught with irregularities and failed to comply with the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), INEC guidelines and the APC’s electoral guidelines.

Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Bello Galadi, said his client remained dissatisfied with the conduct of the primary election, alleging that the process did not comply with the party’s guidelines and that the results were manipulated.

Galadi said one of the pending applications before the court sought an extension of time to respond to the counter-affidavits filed by INEC and Senator Sahabi Ya’u.

He disclosed that he filed four motions before the court, all of which were considered. However, the fourth application, seeking leave to appeal and a stay of execution, was contested and adjourned for hearing.

Counsel to the defendants, Salauddeen, urged the court to award N2 million against the plaintiff, alleging that the suit was being deliberately delayed.

The court, however, declined the request and ruled that the plaintiff should be given time to file responses to the counter-affidavits submitted by the defendants.

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