Member Drag NNPP To Court Over Substitutions His Name For Bauchi Reps Seat

By Khalid Idris Doya

Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed has taken the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to Federal High Court in Bauchi over an alleged substitution of his name with Ibrahim Mohammed Baba as the candidate for Katagum Federal Constituency in Bauchi State in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

Kabir alleged that the party had sent Ibrahim Baba’s name to Independent National Electoral Commission INEC who didn’t participate in the party primary election.

When the case was mentioned on Monday, led Counsel to the petitioner, Hassan El-Yakub (SAN) said that there was an issue of representation, two counsel appeared for the second dependent NNPP, a different motion was filed by the second dependent that they want to withdraw one, and leave one.

Hassan said they were briefed by the second defendants to take over the case from the Counsel that earlier filed the case, he disagreed with their submission.

Kabiru claimed that he emerged winner of the Katagum Federal Constituency primary election on the platform of the NNPP in an exercise monitored and certified by INEC and security agencies.

He also alleged that current occupant of the seat didn’t participate in the primary election due to his involvement in the Bauchi North Senatorial contest under the platform of the All Progressives Congress APC, “After he lost the chance to get the Senate slot seat he decamped to NNPP and the party submitted his name to INEC as the candidate for Katagum Federal House of Representatives.”

He said, “I am the elected candidate; I did not withdraw for anybody and will not withdraw because as a matter of right that is the mandate given to me by members of our great party, the delegates. So surreptitiously removing my name, I consider, is very undemocratic, illegal and of course inhuman that was the reason why I challenged their action in court.”

After a long argument the Presiding Judge Justice B.O Quadri adjourned the suit to Wednesday 28th September 2022 to enable the NNPP sort out the issue of representation.