Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing development projects in the state, undeterred by the recent appeal court ruling that deemed the March 18 election inconclusive.
Speaking to a group of party supporters in Gusau upon his return from Abuja, Governor Lawal expressed confidence in the continued support of the people. “We have nothing to worry about. We know that the people voted for us before, and they are still ready to vote for us again,” he remarked. Emphasizing the ongoing developmental projects across the state, he added, “Our determination to rescue the state is unshakable, as evidenced by the numerous ongoing development projects. Our goal is to transform our socioeconomic landscape.”
He urged supporters to maintain calm and abide by the law, assuring that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would emerge victorious, even in the event of a state-wide rerun.
Alhaji Muktar Lugga, the acting Chairman of the state PDP, commended party supporters for their overwhelming turnout to welcome the governor, describing the rally as a demonstration of their love and loyalty to the state administration.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the governorship election held in Zamfara on March 18 as inconclusive. A three-member panel led by Justice Oyebisi Folayemi, supported by Justice Cordelia Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo and Justice Sybil Nwaka Gbagi, nullified Governor Dauda Lawal’s victory, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in three Local Government Areas—Maradun, Birnin-Magaji, and Bukkuyum—where elections were not previously held or where results were not counted.
The court held INEC accountable for relying on information from its INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to collate the final result of the governorship election, deeming it improper.
The judgment followed an appeal by the immediate past governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, who contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Matawalle was later appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of State for Defence.
According to INEC, Matawalle was defeated with over 65,000 votes. INEC credited Lawal with 377,726 votes, while Matawalle was said to have scored 311,976 votes. Following the tribunal’s affirmation of Lawal’s election on September 18, Mr. Matawalle proceeded to the Appeal Court.
