11th February, 2011
The wave of court orders and counter orders currently blowing over the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the April general election has flowed into the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC,as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided by Justice Abdu Kafarati has slammed an order against INEC, baring the electoral body from recognizing any of the contenders for the party’s governorship ticket in Katsina state pending the determination of the suit instituted by Senator Yakubu Garba Lado against the submission of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Bello Masari, as the party’s flag bearer for Katsina state gubernatorial election.
Senator who is challenging the submission of Masari’s name to INEC by the national leadership of the party averred that he won the governorship primary election conducted by the party in the state and urged the court to grant a preservative order to preserve the res (the subject matter).
Attempts by the national leadership of the party and Hon Bello Masari to persuade the court against granting the restraining orders sought by Senator Lado failed as Justice Abdu Kafarati held that there is every need to grant the order in view of the urgency of the matter. He subsequently granted the interim order restraining the parties, especially INEC, from taking any step that is capable of causing a state of helplessness on the court and adjourned to Wednesday 16th February to hear the preliminary objections filed by the former Speaker where he is challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
By Nnamdi Felix / Abuja