The suit challenging the exit of the Zamfara Governor, Bello Mohammed Matawalle commenced at a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
Matawalle defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) along with State and National Assembly members.
His deputy, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau opted to remain in PDP.
Following the development, two members of the PDP from the state, Sani Kaura Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammed had, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/489/2021, asked the court to remove the governor over his defection.
The governor, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC are 1st to 4th defendants respectively, while the PDP is listed as a party to be joined in the suit.
The plaintiffs based on an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, averred that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 Governorship Election in Zamfara, having not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle to retain his position offices while defecting from the PDP to the APC, thereby transferring PDP’s victory to the APC.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after listening to the ex-parte motion of the plaintiffs’ counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, praying the court for an order to serve the first and 2nd defendants by substituted means through pasting the originating process at Zamfara State Liaison Office in Abuja.
Justice Ekwo granted the prayer and adjourned the hearing of the substantive suit until July 16.