A Federal High Court in Gusau has begun hearing a pre-election suit filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, Zamfara North Senatorial aspirant, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, challenging his exclusion from the party’s primary election.

The suit, before Justice Hassan Dikko, has the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura as first to third defendants.

Shinkafi is asking the court to nullify the senatorial primary election over what he described as his unlawful exclusion from the process.

When the matter came up for mention on Tuesday, proceedings could not progress due to unresolved issues relating to INEC’s participation in the case.

The court adjourned the matter to June 25 and directed that INEC appear and that all parties exchange pleadings before the next hearing date.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Bello Galadi, said he was confident in his client’s case, noting that the court would ensure justice is served.

Counsel to Senator Kaura, Jaysey Sharka, confirmed that the matter is still at the hearing stage.

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has again slammed the administration of President Bola Tinubu over the level of hardship in the country.

In a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Adebayo said poverty is not Nigeria’s destiny, lamenting that poverty is the consequence of policy failures and poor leadership.

Adebayo stated that Nigeria could reverse its economic fortunes through what he described as the right government, clear priorities and deliberate planning.

The SDP’s presidential candidate pointed out that despite three years of economic reforms, millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with rising hardship and reduced purchasing power.

“Poverty is not Nigeria’s destiny. It is the result of failed leadership and it can be defeated with the right government, the right priorities and the right plan,” Adebayo stated.

A public affairs analyst, Sumner Sambo, has stated why the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should allow Rabi’u Kwankwaso take charge of structures in Kano State.

Featuring in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ on Tuesday, Sambo said Kwankwaso has been the force behind most parties’ victories and not the candidates.

He urged the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to liaise with the party’s national leader, Seriake Dickson, to put the NDC in order ahead of next year’s general elections.

“The challenges they are having in Kano shouldn’t be arising now. Why will Kwankwaso be having problems instead of being given the structures in Kano to take charge?

“We expect Peter Obi to use Kwankwaso’s leverage to show political leadership in his party. Obi needs to get down and do the real dirty work that has to do with party, arranging the political party and trying to work and not stay by the side with Dickson.

“Kwankwaso has always been the reason most of the parties that he belongs to, wins election, not because of the candidates he brings,” he said.