By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
With the victory recorded in a Zaria Court on May 9, 2022 where a case filed against 2019 candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Honourable Isa Ashiru Kudan, was dismissed, he was is set not just to contest in 2023, but optimistic of winning.
Barrister Hussaini Abdu, Director Legal Services,.of the Rt. Honourable Ashiru Campaign Organization, expressed this, while interacting with the press on the outcome of a suit filed by Abdullahi Isa at a High Court in Zaria, alleging that their aspirant was not qualified to contest because he lacked minimum educational qualification.
“We found it necessary to address rumours that Rt. Honourable Isa Mohammed Ashiru does not have certificates to contest, being peddled by desperate politicians.
“The politicians could not match his pedigree as a frontline aspirant for Kaduna governorship.
“They aim to cause confusion and panic to citizens of Kaduna State. One of them, Abdullahi Isa, who is a card carryng member of PDP from Igabi LGA, decided to file the suit against Rt. Honourable Isa Ashiru in Zaria.
“He sought an order to disqualify Rt. Honourable Ashiru from contesting upcoming 2023 elections,” he said.
According to Barrister Abdu, Ashiru himself testified in court and called another witness to testify and he tendered six documents with requisite qualifications in court.
He explained that documents tendered by his client, who was the defendant, included certificates from primary school, upto a masters certificate.
“On May 9, 2022 the judge issued judgment in favour of Hon Ashiru.
“The case was dismissed by the court and the young man who was plaintiff has started complying and made publication in Daily Trust newspapers.
“He has done the first publication, out of two he is expected to do. He is also expected to pay N1m for damages and if he fails, we would go to enforcement.
“The victory is clear, you cannot deceive electorate with frivolous accusations to spoil chances of candidates during elections. Instead of them to face him squarely at the polls, they decided to adopt falsehood.
“Section 123 of amended Electoral Act warns that anyone who publishes falsehood against any candidate, would be convicted if found guilty and pay a fine of N100,000 or six months in prison. With this section, we can take it up as a criminal case, instead of previous civil cases that were handled.
He therefore, warned the general public, especially politicians to embrace issue based campaigns like Ashiru camp, or risk being sued for defamation.
“We have documented those who have done falsehood, until after primaries, if they fail to retract, we will then file preponderance of suits in courts, we will never allow unscrupulous elements to be poisoning election setting in Nigeria,” he warned.
According to him, for eligibility to contest polls in Nigeria, the law says, “at least, with a secondary school certificate, you are capable of contesting election.of governor of the state, which Rt Honorable Ashiru had over satisfied”.
In a related development, he pointed out another case of defamation filed by his client against a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant in 2019, Mainan Zazzau, Dr. Sani Bello, who has since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Barrister Abdu said that interestingly, Dr. Bello, who is not a member of their party, wrote the PDP national secretariat, demanding that their aspirant should be disqualified from contesting in 2023, as a result of the law suit, where unfortunately for him, he is the defendant.
“He through his counsel, wrote to PDP national that the party should disqualify Rt. Honourable Isa Ashiru from contesting the primary election.
“He is not a card carryng member of PDP, neither is his lawyer and he is a campaign DG of an aspirant from his party APC. If we field a bad candidate, is it not to their advantage? Why is he crying more than a bereaved, for a reason that there is a case before the court, and the case is yet to be determined by the court,” he said.
The Team Ashiru Director Legal informed that the case between Ashiru Vs Dr. Sani Bello as at last sitting, was adjourned to June 16.
“In the case it is also on defamation of character and he we are demanding retraction, apology and payment of damages.
“Our message to the people of Kadunà State and the rumours peddlers is that they should stop defaming our aspirant or we go to the court to seek redress,” he warned.
Other notable members of the Team Ashiru Campaign team at the briefing, were Central Working Committee, Deputy Director General, Honourable Godfrey Gaiya, former Kaduna State commissioners, Honourable Shehu Adamu (Youth and Sports), Honourable Yohanna Allahmagani (Environment), Adviser Media, Alhaji Shaibu Gimi and Director Media, Mr. Edward Yusuf Bature.
