On Wednesday, the Supreme Court nullified the nomination of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Taraba State. Justice Adamu Jauro delivered the judgment, affirming the decision of a Federal High Court in Jalingo that had previously invalidated Bwacha’s selection as the party’s candidate. The Supreme Court set aside the ruling of the Yola Division of the Court of Appeal, which had reinstated Bwacha on November 24, 2022.
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s judgment, which mandated a fresh primary election within 14 days. The apex court concurred with the Federal High Court’s findings that no valid primary election had been conducted in the state. Additionally, the Supreme Court agreed that the results of the primary elections were fabricated and fraudulently assigned to the aspirants in favor of Bwacha. The court ruled, “The appeal is allowed and parties bear their respective costs.”
Previously, the Yola Division of the Court of Appeal had reinstated Bwacha as the party’s governorship candidate. In a unanimous decision, a three-man panel led by Justice Tani Hassan overturned the Federal High Court’s ruling and ruled in favor of Bwacha. This High Court ruling stemmed from a suit filed by one of the aspirants, Sabo Kente, who argued that no governorship primary election had taken place in Taraba.
In response to the Supreme Court’s judgment, Kente described it as a landmark decision that instilled hope in the people of the state. Bwacha, acknowledging the ruling, stated, “There is nothing to do other than to go back to do what the court asked us to do, which is to conduct fresh primary elections. Simple. We will obey the apex court.”
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