The Supreme Court has upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court that nullified the nomination of Emmanuel Bwacha as governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba state.
Delivering a judgement in the appeal instituted by a governorship aspirant, David Kente the supreme Court held that the election was not conducted in line with the constitution of the party.
The judgment which was read by Justice Adamu Jauro set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal Yola Division, which had on November 24, 2022, reinstated Emmanuel Bwacha as governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming general elections.
A 5-man panel of the Supreme Court upheld the judgement of the trial court which had ordered for a fresh primary election within 14 days.
The Apex court said, 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.
Recalled that the Court of Appeal, Yola division had reinstated Senator Emmanuel Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba state.
In a unanimous decision, the three-man panel led by Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan set aside the judgment of the trial court and ruled in favour of Bwacha.
A Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State capital had nullified the election of Bwacha as the APC governorship candidate in the state.
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 before the court by one of the aspirants, David Kente.
Kente had told the court that no governorship primary election was held in Taraba and Justice Simon Amobeda subsequently nullified Bwacha’s election and ordered a fresh primary within 14 days.
Reacting to the Judgment in an interview, the appellant who was also an aspirant, David Kente described it as land mark judgment that brought hope to the people of Taraba state.
