SAN FRANCISCO, February 11, (THEWILL) – The appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Taraba State, Senator Aisha Al-Hassan, alias ‘Mama Taraba’ challenging the appellate court validation of the election of Darius Ishaku as Governor of the state has been struck out by the Supreme Court.
The apex court, which affirmed the election of Ishaku as the governor of Taraba State, dismissed the appeal by his challenger, who is now Minister of Women Affairs, for lacking in merit.
The court, which announced this judgment on Thursday, however stated that it would adduce reasons for its decision come February 22, 2016.
It would be recalled that counsel to Al-Hassan, Mr. A J Owonikoko SAN had asked the court to allow the appeal of his client on the grounds that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did not conduct a primary election to nominate Darius Ishaku as its candidate for the election.
“It is not about how the primary election was held, but about whether any primary election took place,” he said, adding that “We urge your lordships to allow the appeal and reverse the judgment of the appeal court.”
Counsel to Ishaku, Mr. Kanu Agabi SAN countered by urging the court to dismiss the appeal, stating that it was not in dispute that the PDP sponsored his client. He stressed that Owonikoko had in his brief identified Ishaku as duly sponsored by the PDP, hence “the appellant is bound by her own pleading”.
