2023: INEC, PDP Sued Over Substitution

A Candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in the Argungu/Augie Federal Constituency Primaries, Mr. Sani Yakubu Noma, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and PDP before the Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi for allegedly substituting his name with that of a Governorship Aspirant, Mr. Garba Haruna.

The Counsel to Noma, Mr. Johnson Jacob Usman, said his client is seeking judicial remedy in court because the substitution of his name by PDP and INEC is wrong in law and should not stand.

Usman submitted that “the case we brought to court for Sani Yakubu Noma is that he contested the PDP election for Argungu/Augie Federal Constituency on May 23, 2022, and won.

“The INEC monitored the election and PDP’s official report attested to the fact that Sani Yakubu Noma won the election.

“While he was waiting to be given INEC’s Form EC9 to fill and submit he just saw that on May 24 that INEC has published the name of Garba Haruna Argungu.

“Garba Haruna Argungu was an aspirant who contested for governorship seat of Kebbi State under the PDP and lost.

“Having lost that election there is no other room for him to come and have his name smuggled to INEC by PDP as they did.”

He said his client’s contention is that Argungu contested the governorship election of Kebbi State and lost. He never contested the Federal Constituency Primaries of Argungu/Augie on May 23, 2022.

“Therefore, the submission of his name by PDP to INEC is wrong in law,” he said.

While making their submissions, Counsels to the Respondent, Mr. Johnson Jacob Usman (SAN), and defendants counsel, Barrister Zakariya. (SAN), INEC’s counsel Barrister Godwin and PDP counsel, Barrister Nura Bello, informed the court presided by Justice Babagana Ashigar of their readiness for the commencement of his case.

They said all the processes were in the court. All affidavits, counter affidavits, preliminary objections had been filled and every other things have been submitted to the court for the proceeding of the hearing of the case.

Having heard from the parties in the case, Justice Ashigar adjourned it to August 15 for further hearing.