Coalition calls for arrest of former Zamfara PDP Guber candidate for contempt of court
By: Femi Mustapha
A Coalitions coalition of ethnic Nationalities has called for the immediate arrest of former 2023 PDP governorship candidate, in Zamfara State Dauda Lawal for contempt of court for organizing a rally after a court of competent jurisdiction disqualified him along with all candidates in the last primary elections.
The was contained in a statement signed by President Arewa youths consultative Forum Yerima shettima, President
Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth council
Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, President Yoruba Youths council Comr Eric Oluwole, Barr, Abubakar Kurawa of Arewa lawyers progressive forum and Israel Uwejeyan President Ñiger Delta Youth Congress
The statement made available to the media in Kaduna 30th November, 2022, stated that they cannot fathom why a former PDP governorship candidate that has been disqualified from the party primaries should ignore the decision of the honourable court and carry on as if nothing has happened.
According to them this is a smear on decorum, abuse of judicial verdict and a classical example of contempt of court. We are shocked by this development because we expect those advising the PDP candidate to have warned him about the risks of contempt of court.
The Coalition explained that there are other incidents of court nullification of primaries and Zamfara is proving to be an exception, for the wrong reason.
” The whole world knows that the court initially nullified the primaries that produced Emmanuel Bwacha and Aishatu Binani as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidates for Taraba and Adamawa states respectively.
“And the two candidates stopped their rallies immediately. And proceeded to the Court of Appeal and won back their cases. Unlike the former Zamfara PDP governorship candidate, Binani and Bwacha halted their rallies immediately after the court verdict and later proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the judgement of the lower court. But the former Zamfara PDP governorship candidate would not respect the law.
“We hereby call on the Inspector-General of Police to expedite action on this matter, in the interest of Rule of Law, democracy and social justice.
We also call on INEC to consider disqualifying PDP candidate Dauda Lawal even on the grounds of sponsoring thuggery for physical assault and injury to innocent Zamfara people and the destruction of Billboards.
“We read reports about the arrest of the thugs, but we believe that doing so is not enough as their sole sponsor Dauda Lawal – should have been arrested same time as his terror gang members, because he is the number one suspect.
“We advise the IG of Police to also replace the current CP of Zamfara because the aloofness of the police in the State, on this weighty issue that requires prompt arrest of Malam Dauda Lawal smacks of suspicious moves to cover up contempt case. We also want the Director-General of DSS in Abuja to replace the Zamfara DSS boss we suspect he is compromised as well.
“There is no justification for violence unleashed by these thugs in a fragile State like Zamfara unless there is a deliberate plot to reverse the gains made by Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle in the fight against insecurity.
“Lastly, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) needs to wake up to its responsibility of protecting and promoting the interest of the judiciary. Politicians are disobeying court order deliberately, thereby ridiculing the authority of the institution of the judiciary. This must be stopped. ” The statement reads
