The Supreme Court on Monday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Taraba State, Aisha Alhassan, had no locus standi to challenge the nomination of Governor Darius Ishiaku by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The apex court made the declaration while giving reasons for dismissing the appeal of APC and Alhassan in its judgement on February 11.
Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who read details of the judgement, said the appeals and cross appeals had no redeemable substance.
The court held that the governor was duly sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest in the election, adding that evidence brought before it had confirmed Ishiaku’s 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 all the 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.
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 judgement, prompting Alhassan and the APC to approach the apex court, which dismissed their appeals and affirmed the validity of the governor’s election.
