The All Progressives Congress (APC) governor of Taraba, Chief David Kente, believes his party has a good chance of winning the state’s March 11 election.
In response to a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the nomination of Emmanuel Bwacha as the party’s candidate for governor in the state, Chief Shuaibu Ataka, Secretary of the David Kente Governorship Campaign Organization, made this statement.
Kente expressed confidence that he would be elected to the party’s ticket and his willingness to run in new primary elections.
He called on the APC supporters in the state to remain calm and wait for the decision of the party’s national headquarters. Kente described the judgment as a land mark decision that has brought hope to the people of Taraba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the apex court in a judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court Jalingo that nullified the election of Bwacha as the APC governorship candidate in the state.
It also set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal Yola Division, which had on Nov. 24, 2022, reinstated Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the APC in the forthcoming general elections.
The five-member panel of justices upheld the judgement of the trial court which had ordered for a fresh primary election within 14 days and parties to bear their respective costs.
It held that there was no valid APC Primary elections conducted in Taraba state. The court agreed that the results of the primary election were purported and fraudulently allocated to the candidate.
The court also ordered that a fresh primary election should be conducted by the party to elect a new governorship candidate.
The High Court ruling followed a petition filed by Kente.
Kente had told the court that no governorship primary election was held in Taraba.
Justice Simon Amobeda subsequently nullified Bwacha’s election and ordered a fresh primary within 14 days.
The judge also ordered the electoral commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop recognising of Bwacha as the candidate of the party. (NAN)