The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State capital yesterday disqualified the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi, from participating in the governorship election on Saturday, March 9.
The presiding judge, Justice Steven Pam in his ruling stated that Danladi in his personal particulars has stated that he was born on 14th February 1968.
The judge said that the date of birth contained in the West African Senior School Certificate submitted by him to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicated that he was born on 3rd April 1977.
The judge therefore declared that the information given by Danladi as to his age in the affidavit in support of his particulars to INEC in form CF001 is declared false.
The judge stated in his three pages ruling that “Sani Abubakar Danladi is hereby disqualified from contesting election as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship election for Taraba State slated for 9th March 2019 or any subsequent date.”
Read Also:
Pam further stressed that “the INEC is hereby retrained from recognising, accepting or treating Danladi as the candidate of APC in governorship election slated for coming Saturday.”
The court also stopped the APC from recognising, holding out or treating Danladi as its candidate in Saturday’s governorship election or any subsequent date to be slated.
“The defendant (Danladi) is hereby prohibited from parading himself as the candidate of APC in the governorship election slated on the 9th March 2019,” the Judge ruled.
Responding to the judgement, the chairman of APC in Taraba State, Bar. Ibrahim El-Sudi, described the as mischievous and comical in the eyes of the party.
El-Sudi while addressing Journalists in Jalingo in connection with the judgement said the same issue was ruled against by court in 2007 and was subsequently dismissed by the appeal court. He also noted that all judgements passed by the appeal court supercedes those of the lower courts.
He further stated that there are also legal processes involved in the substitution of candidates by INEC and therefore a court judgement does not automatically disqualify a party in a contest.
El-Sudi therefore called on the supporters of APC to go about their normal campaign and to also come out to vote for Danladi on Saturday’s governorship election.
