Court orders INEC to replace PDP governorship candidate in Borno

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party to recognise Gambo Lawan as the party’s candidate for 2015 gubernatorial election in Borno.

Lawan won the primary election, which held in December, but was later replaced with Mohammed Imam.

Dissatisfied, Lawan had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1123/2014, challenged the party’s decision to substitute him.

He also prayed the court for an order compelling INEC to put his name on the ballot paper and to stop Imam from further parading himself as governorship candidate.

The plaintiff also urged the court to give an order of perpetual injunction stopping PDP and INEC from recognising and dealing with Imam as Borno PDP governorship candidate.

Ahmed Mohammed, the presiding judge, granted Lawan’s prayer, declaring that it was wrong for the PDP to substitute his name since he won the primary election.

Mohammed ordered INEC to recognise Lawan as the flagbearer of the party for April 11 election.

He also directed PDP to take steps to list Lawan’s name as the governorship candidate and forward same to INEC in place of Imam for the purpose of the election.