Category: Breaking

By Kamsi Anayo

The Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara, has nullified the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that produced Dauda Lawan-Dare as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections in the state.

Justice Aminu Bappa-Aliyu, during the sitting in Gusau on Friday, ordered that the party should immediately conduct fresh governorship primaries.

The PDP governorship primaries held on May 25 and produced Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare, as the party’s governorship candidate for the state’s 2023 governorship election.

Three aspirants, who are plaintiffs in the suit, Dr Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau, Wadat Madawaki and Hafiz Muhammad, sought the nullification of the primary election over alleged irregularities.

The election was conducted by a committee sent from the PDP National Headquarters Abuja, led by Adamu Maina-Waziri.

The defendants are the PDP, Maina-Waziri, retired Col. Bala Mande, Zamfara PDP Chairman; Lawal-Dare, the PDP governorship candidate, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The presiding Judge, Mr Bappa-Aliyu said the court granted all the prayers of the plaintiffs.

“The court has granted the prayers submitted in this honorable court by the plaintiffs and hereby ruled in their favour.”

“The 109-page judgment will be presented to the counsel of both parties,” the judge said.

Addressing journalists at the court premises, the counsel to the plaintiffs Ibrahim Aliyu, said the court nullified the election of Dauda Lawan Dare based on the prayers they submitted before the court.

“We are happy today as the court has answered our prayers and cancelled the election of Dauda Lawan Dare as PDP candidate in Zamfara state.”

“Part of our prayers: we urged the court to nullify the primary elections because of series of irregularities and we are happy that our prayers were granted.”

Responding, the State Legal Adviser of the PDP, Bashir Masama who represented the defendants, said the PDP would study the judgment and take the necessary action.

“Yes, the judgement was in the favour of plantiffs and all the defendants are going to study it and take next action,” Masama added.

Soji Ajibola, Ibadan

No fewer than seven persons have been reportedly injured at the collapse of an uncompleted 4-storey hotel building at the early hours of Thursday in Ibadan.

The affected building was adjacent to one of the new generations bank at Awosika in Ibadan North local government area of Oyo state.

A rescue team including people in the neighbourhood and passersby have been able to rescue seven people who are currently receiving medical attention at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

An eyewitness account disclosed that the incident occured around 5:45pm when Muslim faithful were returning from early morning prayers.

He disclosed that the numbers of injured persons have risen to seven while rescue team are battling hard to remove the debris in search for other survivors.

Also a combine team of the State Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Commission and other security agencies have been deployed to the scene to minimize casualty rates

As at the time of filing this report, there was no statement on whether the incident has claimed recorded ant casualty or not.

Details later

About six persons are feared trapped in the rubble of a seven storey  building under construction which collapsed on Saturday night at Oba Idowu Oniru Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident to the media.

He confirmed that the building under construction collapsed with six people trapped under the rubble.

Oke-Osanyintolu said in a situation report released to journalists that the incident occurred around 10:47 pm on Saturday night.

He said that while no injury was recorded, the Lagos  State Response plan has been activated so that excavators can be deployed for the ongoing rescue operation. 

“No injury sustained. However, about six people are reported to be trapped under the rubble of the collapsed structure.

“The agency’s heavy duty equipment excavator will be required for the rescue of the trapped victims. We have activated Lagos State Response plan. The operation is ongoing. More updates to follow.”

Also the Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident of the collapsed building on Sunday.

He said that said six people are trapped in the collapsed building but responders are already on ground.