Why APC, Mama Taraba’s Appeal Was Dismissed – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Taraba State, Senator Aisha Alhassan, had no locus standi to challenge the nomination of Governor Darius Ishiaku by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
The apex court made the declaration while giving reasons for dismissing the appeal of APC and Alhassan in its judgment of Feb.11.
Reading the details of the judgment, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour said the appeals and cross appeals had no redeemable substance.
The court held that Governor Ishiaku was duly sponsored by the PDP to contest in the election, adding that evidence brought before it had confirmed his (Ishiaku) membership of the party.
“The matter is very simple, the apex court has ruled on matters of this nature at different occasions.
“There is no way a candidate of another political party who did not participate in the primaries of another political party could suddenly rise to challenge the conduct of such an exercise.
“It is therefore, clear that the appeals and the entire cross appeals against the election of Governor Darius Ishiaku of Taraba have no redeemable substance”, Rhodes-Vivour held.
The apex court also declared that the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal grossly misdirected itself by upturning Ishiaku’s victory.
It would be recalled that the tribunal had nullified the governor’s election and went ahead to declare Alhassan as duly elected governor of Taraba.
An appeal by Ishiaku set aside the tribunal judgment, prompting Alhassan and the APC to approach the apex court, which dismissed their appeals and affirmed the validity of the governor’s election.