By Danusa Ocholi
Chief Executive Officer [CEO]/ National President of Al-Mushahid Initiative for Transparency and Accountability (AITA) and Publisher Capitalwatch Media, Ambassador Aminu A. Majidadi has reacted to the recent ruling of the Supreme Court concerning the candidacy of Emmanuel Bwacha as the Taraba State ‘s governorship candidate under the banner of the All Progressives Congress[APC], by urging the party’s stakeholders and the entire people of the State not to be discouraged by the Court’s ruling, saying the fight for Bwacha’s candidacy has just started.. In a press statement issued in Abuja on the apex court’s ruling, , Ambassador Majidadi said the development was another call on the people of Taraba to exercise their mandate by giving Bwacha the much needed support to become the next governor of the state.
Ambassador Majidadi, a notable human rights activist and humanitarian said in a statement he issued in Abuja, that the people of Taraba still have another opportunity to return the affected candidate with his mandate. The Supreme Court had recently nullified the nomination of Mr Bwacha as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba state.
Delivering judgment last Wednesday, a five-member panel led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun affirmed the verdict of the Federal High Court which held that the APC did not conduct any valid governorship primary in the state.
In September 2022, a Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba state, sacked Bwacha as the APC’s governorship candidate.
David Sabo Kente, one of the aspirants, had filed the suit against Bwacha’s candidature.
Simon Amobeda, the high court judge, had agreed with the plaintiff that no governorship primary was held in Taraba
The judge ordered that a fresh primary should be conducted within 14 days.
However, on November 24, the court of appeal in Yola set aside the judgment of the trial court which sacked Bwacha.
But Kente, through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, filed an appeal before the supreme court.
In its judgment, the apex court held that the court of appeal was wrong to have set aside the decision of the trial court.
Consequently, the apex court allowed the appeal setting aside the judgment of the court of appeal.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Jalingo which also required the party to conduct a fresh primary within 14 days.
In a statement he issued over the development in Taraba, Ambassador Majidadi urged the people of the State ‘on the choice of the mandate given to Bwacha as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling. The apex Court did not nullify Bwach’s nomination “It only directed that another primary should be held within 14 days, and Bwacha is most eligible to contest” said Ambassador Majidadi.
Ambassador Majidadi therefore stressed the need to educate the people of the state on the type of leader they should vote into office.
He stated categorically:” Whoever is to be elected into the office should be someone with dignity, someone that is tested and trusted.”
