From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
The Federal High Court sitting in Gusau Zamfara state capital has announced July 29, 30 and 31 for the accelerated hearing of the case filed by the three governortorial candidates of the People’s Democratic party ( PDP) challenging the election of Dauda Lawal Dare as the party’s flag bearer.
The candidates are, Ibrahim Shehu, Wadatau Madawaki and Alhaji Hafiz.
They are seeking for the nullification of the Governorship primary election held in the state on May 25 this year over alleged irregularities.
The defendants are the PDP, Maina-Waziri, (Chairman Zamfara PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee sent from PDP Headquarters Abuja) and retired Col. Bala Mande(State PDP, Chairman).
Other are Lawal-Dare, PDP Governorship candidate and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Bappa-Aliyu said the court adjourned the matter until Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 29, 30 and 31 July, 2022 respectively because of an application filed by the counsel to Dauda Lawal Dare seeking for the change of a lawyer.
Speaking to journalists immediately after the court’s sitting on Tuesday, a counsel to the Plaintiffs, Ibrahim Aliyu said they were ready to continue with the hearing of the case even though, the counsel to dependants insisted and wanted for adjournment.
He said, “We appeared today in court for the commencement of hearing of the matter, but the Counsel to the 4th dependant (Dauda Lawal-Dare) informed the court that they were not ready to proceed to the hearing due to the change of their learned counsel”.
“They said they are not ready for the hearing because they filed an application for the change of their learned counsel”.
“We have informed the court that, we have no objection to their application if the reason for making the application for adjournment is for that matter, we are ready for that”, Aliyu explained.
“Despite that the counsel to the dependants insisted and wanted for the adjournment”.
“In the interest of justice, we are all gentlemen, we are not opposed to that, what ever decision taken by the court we abide by it”.
“Therefore, we conceded to the adjournment by the court to July 29, 30 and 31”, he added.
Also speaking, the counsel to the 5th dependant, Shamsudeen Muhammad confirmed the change of learned counsel of the dependants.
“Earlier in the court, we requested the court to give us another day to enable our new learned counsel to prepare for the case”.
“Therefore, the case was adjourned at our instance, following the application we filled”, concluded Muhammad.
