The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed that Mr Diarus Ishiaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Taraba State.
The Justice Bode-Rhodes Vivor-led six justices of the Supreme Court held that the appeal by his opponent, Hajia Aisha Alhassan, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked merit.
“We have studied and reviewed the submissions of all the counsels to parties in this appeal and found that there is no merit in the appeal.
“The decision of the Court of Appeal on this matter is hereby upheld.
“The reasons for the decision would be adduced on February 22 and parties are to bear their costs,’’ he held.
NAN reports that Aisha Alhassan, APC candidate had her victory in the election upturned by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Aisha approached the apex court to challenge the decision of the Court of Appeal.
Adopting his address, Mr Abiodu Owonikoko (SAN), Counsel to Alhassan, argued that Ishiaku’s nomination and sponsorship fell below Section 177(c) of the Constitution.
NAN reports that the Constitution set out the requisite elements to meet before an aspirant could become a candidate.
Owonikoko submitted that PDP failed to conduct the governorship primaries, adding that Ishiaku’s nomination was a “kangaro arrangement’’.
Meanwhile, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), Mr Solo AKuma (SAN), and Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), counsels to Ishiaku, PDP and INEC respectively, urged the court to discountenance Owonikoko’s submission.
They contended that the conduct and qualification of a candidate to contest elective position were the sole right of the political parties.
They said the qualification of Ishiaku was not in dispute within the party, adding that APC and Alhassan lacked the “locus standi’’ to raise objection on how Ishiaku emerged.
Daudu said: “My Lords the commission has on many platforms held that the primaries that selected Ishiaku as the party’s candidate was properly conducted in Wadata House Abuja’’.
They, therefore, jointly prayed the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
-NAN
