From Godwin Tsa, Abuja.
The Supreme Court has voided the nomination of Kabir Labbo Jega as the candidate for Jega-Aliero-Gwandu Federal Constituency of Kebbi State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
While upholding the declaration of Umar Jega as the validly nominated candidate of the party,
the apex held that name of Labbo was wrongly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the APC as its candidate.
In a judgment prepared by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, the Supreme Court dismissed the suit of the APC instituted to support the nomination of the unlawful candidate.
The Apex Court while dismissing the APC’S appeal restored Mohammed Umar Jega as the lawful and authentic candidate that should be recognized by the APC and INEC.
The upholding of Umar Jega by the Apex Court was predicated on the ground that he emerged winner of the May 27, 2022 primary election of the party conducted in accordance with the provisions of the law by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.
In the same vein, the purpoted nomination and submission of name of Labbo Jega was thrown out by the Court on the ground that he emerged winner from unlawful primary election conduct by the State Working Committee SWC of the party.
The Court maintained that by the provisions of the law, only the National Working Committee (NWC) of political parties are empowered to conduct primary elections for the purpose of nominating candidates for elections.
The judgment of the Court of Appeal which had earlier been delivered against APC and in favour of Mohammed Umar Jega was affirmed.
The Apex Court however, did not award cost against the APC.
