Politics
How PDP Emerged Victorious In Zamfara
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, as winner of the polls, following Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court which voided the votes of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a related development, the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, yesterday, said his administration and APC members in the State have accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court.
After several hours of deliberating on the court judgment between Friday and Saturday, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, told journalists Saturday evening in Abuja that the Commission was bound to obey the judgment of the apex court.
According to him, following the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Commission has met in two emergency sessions and taken briefings from its lawyers and staff on the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.
Yakubu said while the legislative elections (Senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections) are straight forward to deal with because they entail “first-past-the-post or simple majority of votes, the governorship election is determined not just by majority votes but also by spread in accordance with Section 179 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”.
He said this means that INEC had to first discountenance the votes cast for the APC at the elections and then carefully rework the spread by Local Government Areas based on the new valid votes.
He recalled that the Commission had issued the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 general elections on January 9, 2018, over one year in advance.
Among other activities, the conduct of party primaries was scheduled to take place between August 18 and October 7, 2018, he added.
“Unfortunately, the APC did not conduct its primaries in Zamfara State within this stipulated time and the Commission duly informed the party that it would not be in a position to present candidates for elections in the State. Subsequently, various interested parties, including the APC itself, approached the court over the decision of the Commission.
“Just before the election, the subsisting court judgment at the time ordered the Commission to include the APC on the ballot for the Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections, which the Commission complied with.
“However, since the elections were completed, a Court of Appeal judgment and now a Supreme Court judgment have determined that the APC did not conduct valid primaries for the elections in question. In its judgment delivered on 24th May 2019, the Supreme Court, having determined that the APC did not conduct valid primaries, said that the votes cast for the party in all the elections in question were ‘wasted’ and ordered the Commission to recognize the runners-up as the winners. This judgment affects the positions of Governor and Deputy-Governor, three Senatorial, seven Federal and twenty-four State Assembly Constituencies”, he stated.
In compliance with the Supreme Court judgment, the Commission returned the PDP governorship candidate, Bello Mohammed Matawalle and his running mate, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, as Governor-elect and Deputy Governor-elect respectively.
It also returned the three senatorial candidates and seven House of Representatives candidates of the PDP as duly elected.
While INEC returned 23 of the 24 PDP House of Assembly candidates as elected, it however declared the candidate of the National Rescue Movement NRM, Kabiru Hashimu, as winner for Maru South state Constituency.
Yakubu said the Commission will issue Certificates of Return to the new winners as follows: “Governor and Deputy Governor-elect, Senators-elect and Members of the House of Representatives-elect will receive their certificates today, May 27, 2019 at the Commission’s Electoral Institute at 2.00pm.
“Members of the State House of Assembly-elect will receive their certificates from the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Zamfara State at the INEC State Office in Gusau on Friday May 31, 2019 at 10.00am”.
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.