By Uzair Adam Imam
The New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) has started a legal duel with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for refusing to allow the party to replace Senator Ibrahim Shekarau for Kano Central Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections.
NNPP wanted to replace Shekarau with the former senator, Rufa’i Sani Hanga, after his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) some months ago.
Shekarau defected and joined PDP citing irreconciliable differences with the party’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his reasons.
On it’s part, INEC argued that Shekarau has not officially informed the electoral body about his defection to PDP reiterating that it can not replace his name with another person.
In an interview with journalists on Wednesday, the NNPP presidential candidate Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso said: “We have conducted (fresh) primary election where we elected Rufa’i Sani Hanga, as a replacement and if INEC can do justice to us, based on the constitution, the time for the replacement of candidates is not yet over.
“We have taken the matter to court because INEC did not understand the process. The court will make them understand it.”
Kwankwaso, who wondered why INEC refused to replace Shekarau’s name with their new candidate, asked “would INEC announce Shekarau as the legally elected representative for the district if NNPP wins the senatorial seat?”
