Gumau, Zailani fight over Bauchi APC senatorial candidature
Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau and Barrister Ibrahim Zailani are currently laying claim to the candidature of the APC for Bauchi South senatorial district in tomorrow’s election.
INEC has announced the incumbent Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau as the APC candidate.
However, a Federal High Court in Abuja has directed INEC to withdraw the candidature of Senator Gumau and replace him with Barrister Zailani.
Barrister Zailani was one of the APC aspirants who also contested for Bauchi South senatorial ticket in the primary election conducted in the state.
The court, in a ruling FHC/ ABJ/CS/1257/2018, ordered that Barrister Zailani be forwarded to INEC by the APC as its candidate for Bauchi South Senatorial district in the 2019 election.
A letter dated February 13, 2019 and signed by the campaign director and secretary of Barrister Ibrahim Zailani Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Isah Yashi and Malam Yakubu Adamu Hassan, respectively, asked APC to recognise Zailani as the candidate of the party.
The letter was copied to Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, the State APC chairman, State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Commissioner of Police, Director DSS, Commandant NSCDC, and the Emir of Bauchi.
Reacting to the development, the legal team of Senator Gumau said the judgment could not hold.