Appeal Court Sacks Zamfara Governor, Declares Election Inconclusive

The Court of Appeal on Thursday in Abuja sacked Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State.

It declared inconclusive, the March 18 Governorship election which produced Lawal as the elected governor.

The March 18 Governorship election, which had initially declared Lawal, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the elected governor, was cast into doubt by the unanimous decision of a 3-man panel of Justices of the Court.

Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagiz, who led the panel, delivered the landmark judgment that overturned the declaration of Lawal as the governor, citing substantial irregularities.

The Court invalidated and set aside Lawal’s victory, compelling a fresh election to be conducted in Maradun Local Government Area of the State, as well as in other areas where elections were either canceled or did not take place.

The crux of the Court’s decision rested on the unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional use of IREV (Invalid Register of Voters) information in the process that led to Lawal’s gubernatorial declaration.

The absence of valid polling unit results was highlighted as a pivotal concern that rendered Lawal’s ascension to the governorship untenable according to the Court’s unanimous verdict.

The Court’s judgment serves as a turning point in the Zamfara State political landscape, raising questions about the validity and credibility of the election process.

As a result, the decision has set in motion the need for a fresh electoral process in specific areas, underscoring the imperative for transparency and adherence to legal protocols in the governance of democratic practices.