By: John Bassey, Gusau.
The lingering party primary election legal tussle between the All Progressive Congress, APC, Zamfara State chapter, INEC, Senator Sahabi Ya’u and Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, an Aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial District, has deepened as all the applications and the entire case are gradually turning in favour of Shinkafi.
This was revealed during an interview engagement as the working Journalists sought to know the true situation of the case. The Legal luminary in charge of the case, Barr. Bello Galadi immediately after the adjournment of the case to 28th July 2026 at the Federal High Court in Gusau.
Recalled that Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, the Aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial District, has filed a case against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the party’s acclaimed candidate, Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura.
In the case file, Shinkafi found fault with the anti- party activities of the APC and also dragged INEC over trampling upon his citizenship rights of voting and being voted for.
He also dragged the self-acclaimed party candidate of rubbing him of his citizenship rights and privileges.
Shinkafi has also argued that Sahabi Ya’u Kaura has been a senator representing the zone for more than two terms, and it is time for another person to take over, as the Zonal Senatorial seat is not his father’s heritage but meant for all eligible sons and daughters of the Zone.
He also argued significantly that, since the creation of the state, no Shinkafi man has ever been in the position of the senator representing the zone and that Kaura Namoda people must give Shinkafi people the Chance to rule in the Senatorial seat for the first time.
Barrister Bello Galadi, the Council standing in for the plaintiff, (Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi) at the Federal High Court today said, “We had four pending applications before the court, one was for an extension of time to file our the counter affidavit against the first defendant which is INEC, also an application filed by me in respect to the an application for extension of time to file our Counter affidavit against the third defendant ( Senator Sahabi Ya’u), we also file an application for extension of time to file our Counter affidavit against the preliminary objection filed by the third defendant”.
“The 3 applications have all been granted by this court in our favour,” he said.
The last application has been an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal in Sokoto and for stay of execution; the application, being contentious, has been adjourned to the next session of this Court, slated for the 28th day of July 2026 for final adoption.
Supporters of Sani Shinkafi, who pleaded anonymity at the court, expressed confidence that the case shall turn in their favour and INEC and the party must see the reasons to be fair in their duties.
They called on the party and INEC to re-conduct the primaries in the zone and also permit Shinkafi and Ya’u to stand a chance to be voted for by the people of the constituency as the only solution to the legal tussle.
