Court rejects Tambuwal, APC’s objection against Dahiru

A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused the application by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State challenging an originating summons filed by Sen. Umar Dahiru.

Sen. Umar had in 2015 in suit No. FHC/ABJ/ CS/11/2015 alleged that the December 2014 APC primary, which produced Tambuwal, was fraught with irregularities and breach of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010; the APC Guidelines for the Nomination of Public Offices and the 1999 Constitution.

Dahiru and Aliyu Abubakar Sanyinna, both governorship aspirants for the March, 2015 election under the platform of the APC had filed the processes through a new counsel, Roland Otaru (SAN).

Tambuwal’s counsel, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) had argued that Awa Kalu (SAN) is the counsel on record for the aspirants and not Otaru and urged the court to dismiss their applications.

However, Otaru informed the court that he was holding the brief of Awa Kalu, adding that his coming to the case was misconstrued as a change of lawyer by the counsel to the APC and Tambuwal.

In his ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that the objection by Governor Tambuwal and APC lacked merit because the legal representation of the plaintiffs was not changed.

The judge said the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already replied to the processes in line with a Supreme Court order for accelerated hearing in the matter. He therefore ordered Tambuwal to file his written address before the next adjourned date.

The case was adjourned to May 23 for hearing.