Court sacks APC governorship candidate, orders fresh election
A Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, has nullified the election of Emmanuel Bwacha as the All Progressives Congress’ governorship candidate in the state.
The court also ordered that a fresh primary election be conducted by the party to get a new governorship candidate.
The court ruling on Bwacha’s candidature is sequel to a petition filed before the court by one of the aspirants, David Sabo Kente.
Kente had reportedly approached the court with evidence that no governorship primary election was held in Taraba.
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Based on the evidence tendered before the court by the plaintiff, the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda 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 forthwith the recognition of Bwacha as the candidate of the party.
The court further warned Bwacha who is currently the senator representing Taraba South Senatorial District to desist from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.
Justice Amobeda held that it is not possible for all the primary election results to have the same handwriting while the returning officer declared that no primary was held in the state at the police headquarters due to security threats.
He described as inappropriate, the alleged false declaration of results at the Danbaba Suntai Airport Jalingo before jetting out of the state via a private jet by the returning officer.
In their reaction, counsels to the APC and Bwacha said that they would study the judgment before they decide either to proceed to the Appeal Court or submit and accept the fresh primary election order by the court.
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