September 20, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, has nullified the primary election that produced Emmanuel Bwacha, as governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 election in the state.
Justice Simon Amobeda in a ruling, on a petition filed by one of the aspirants, David Sabo Kente, ordered a fresh primary election within 14 days.
The judge also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop forthwith the recognition of Emmanuel Bwacha, as the candidate of the party.
Relying on the evidence before the court that no governorship primary was held in Taraba, Justice Amobeda further ordered Bwacha, the current senator representing Taraba South, to desist from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the APC.
The court held that it was impossible for all the primary results to have the same handwriting, while the returning officer declared that no primary was held in the state at the police headquarters due to security threats.
Justice Amobeda 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.
Reacting to the judgement, counsels for the APC and sacked candidate, stated that they will study the judgement before either proceeding to the Appeal Court or submitting to a fresh primary.
