One of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Taraba State, David Sabo‑Kente, has filed a lawsuit against the APC and Senator Emmanuel Bwacha for violating a Supreme Court judgment that nullified Bwacha’s candidacy and barred the party from fielding a candidate in the governorship election. The Supreme Court had earlier, in February, nullified Bwacha’s nomination after a five‑member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere‑Ekun upheld the Federal High Court in Jalingo’s finding that the APC had not conducted a valid governorship primary in the state.
The case originated from a suit lodged by Sabo‑Kente, who had contested the APC ticket against Bwacha. In a statement released to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, Sabo‑Kente noted that while the apex court granted all the reliefs he sought, it did not order a rerun of the election. Consequently, the recent primary held in Jalingo constitutes a clear breach of the court’s orders.
Sabo‑Kente dismissed suggestions that his aim was to prevent the APC from having a gubernatorial candidate in Taraba. “That is a very wrong notion,” he said. “I am passionate about this party and have been with it for a long time, but the people want us to have a candidate without due process. You are aware of how the purported primaries were held—how can you drag seven trucks of military men and former Chief of Army Staff Buratai to conduct primaries that none of the candidates attended? Five of us were in the race with him, and by him I mean former Senator Bwacha. How can you hold an election where five of the six candidates did not participate?”
Regarding the Supreme Court order, Sabo‑Kente highlighted that relief number eight explicitly delisted Emmanuel Bwacha from participating in the primaries and also barred the party from the 2023 elections. “How can an order from the highest court in the land be flouted by people?” he asked.
He added that the aggrieved parties have returned to court to file a contempt suit against all those involved in the illegal primaries.
Comments are closed for this story.