Court Nullifies APC Governorship Primary Election in Taraba
The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State capital has nullified the governorship primary election that produced Emmanuel Bwacha as the candidate of the party for the 2023 election.
The judgment was passed by the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda on Tuesday.
Justice Amobeda in his ruling in a case filed by one of the governorship aspirants, Chief David Sabo Kente directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh governorship primary in the state within 14 days.
He also ordered Bwacha to stop parading himself as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC to stop recognizing Bwacha as a candidate.
Justice Amobeda pointed out that all the primary results had the same handwriting.
He also stated that the returning officer declared that no primary was held in the state at the police headquarters due to security threats.
The court 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 for Mr. Bwacha and APC said they will study the judgment before either proceeding to the Appeal Court or submitting to a fresh primary.
