Court nullifies election of former aide to Buhari

A federal High Court in Kano yesterday nullified the candidature of former senior special assistant to President Buhari on assembly matters, Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila in the 2019 polls.

The court also ordered INEC to recognize Shamsuddeen Dambazau as the duly elected House of Representative member Representing Sumaila/Takai Federal Constituency. In the judgment presided by Justice Lewis Allagoa, the court directed INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Sumaila insisting he did not participate in the party’s primary election. Kawu won the election of Sumaila/Takai Federal Constituency of Kano House of Representatives.

But Dambazau, had approached the court, seeking for the nullification of Sumaila’s nomination by APC as party’s candidate in the national assembly poll. He told the court through his counsel, Nuraini Jimoh that Sumaila had contested the Kano South Senatorial seat and lost to Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and never vied for the House of Representatives.

The state chapter of APC however replaced Zambazzau’s name with Sumaila, a development meant to compensate Sumaila after losing the senatorial seat. Counsel to Sumaila, Auwal Tofa declined to speak with journalists on the outcome of the judgment.