Abacha’s son drags INEC, Wali to Court over gubernatorial primary

Mohammad Abacha, son of the former military head of state, General Sani Abacha, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), before the federal high court in Kano over the last gubernatorial primary conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Also joined in the suit are Sadiq Aminu Wali, son of the former minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, PDP and Kano state Chairman of PDP Shehu Sagagi.

Abacha urged the court to declare him as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Kano, having been declared winner of the May, 25th 2022 primary election conducted by the party.

The plaintiff also sought an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to recognize him as the gubernatorial candidate of PDP for the 2023 election and publish his name as such.

He also asked the court to grant an order of injunction to restrain Sadiq Wali from parading himself as PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kano.

The protracted controversy rocking the PDP in Kano ignited a few days ago when INEC released the list of the political party’s candidates for next year’s general election.

On the list pasted on INEC website, the name of Sadiq Wali appeared as PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kano, a development that triggered tension in the party.

Abacha, who claimed that INEC had earlier issued an original copy of the list of candidates who won the party primary where his name appeared, challenged the sudden omission of his name on the list.

He was declared the winner of the PDP gubernatorial primary conducted by the Shehu Sagagi-led Chairman of the party in Kano in May 2022. Abacha defeated his only rival Jafar Sani Bello with lawful votes.

However, the Wali-led faction of PDP conducted a parallel gubernatorial primary where Sadiq Wali emerged as the winner among eight other contestants.

Amidst the controversy, INEC has told journalists that the commission only monitored the primary conducted by Sagagi-led PDP chairman which produced Mohammad Abacha as a gubernatorial candidate.

The date for the hearing of the originating summons has not been fixed.