A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Musa Mubarak as the Gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP over unlawful substitution.
Justice James Omotosho who delivered the judgement on grounds that Mubarak’s name was fraudulently submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC as NNPP’S Guber Candidate, ordered that Hassan Abdullahi be restored as the party’s flagbearer having lawfully won the primary election of the party conducted on April 16, 2023.
The trial judge in his judgment held that Abdullahi won the nomination election with 303 votes while Mubarak came second with only 10 votes.
The Court held that submission of Mubarak’s name over and above that of Abdullahi to INEC and publishing same by the Electoral body is unlawful, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
The Judge held that since Abdullahi won the popular and undisputed primary election and his name submitted, only death or voluntary withdrawal can remove same from the published names of the Gubernatorial candidates.
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While ordering immediate publication of the name of the plaintiff, Justice Omotoso issued an order of perpetual injunction against NNPP, INEC and their agents from further depriving the plaintiff the fruits of his success at the primary election of the NNPP.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
