Senator Kabiru Marafa has engaged the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) i n fresh war over the conduct of party congresses in Zamfara State. Marafa again, as in 2019, filed a suit seeking the Zamfara State High Court order to nullify the APC Ward, Local Government and State Congresses conducted in the state in November 2021.
The APC faction led by Marafa protested the illegality of the congresses, including the exclusion of the faction’s members from participating in the state congresses in November. The faction argued that the congresses were illegal, unlawful, and breached the constitution of the APC.
Counsel to Marafa’s APC faction, Jesse Shaka, had narrated that the plaintiffs had sponsored candidates from the faction who paid for nomination forms to contest in various positions at the congresses but were not issued the forms they paid for. The counsel did not, however, tell the court if the money for the forms were refunded since they were not issued forms.
They Mafara Counsel declared the APC State, Local Government and Ward congresses in Zamfara State illegal.
Counsel to Governor Bello Matawalle faction, Ishaka Dikko, requested the court for an extension of time to file in an application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case and, that the plaintiff does not have the locus standi to institute a suit against the APC as he is not a member of the National Working Committee and did not participate in the state congresses
The presiding judge, Justice Bello Kucheri, after the briefs, adjourned the case to March14th for an extension of time for the defendants to adopt counter-affidavits and written addresses and for the plaintiff to present preliminary objections.