Supreme Court okays Jimkuta as APC senatorial candidate for Taraba South

The lawmaker representing Wukari and Ibi Federal Constituency of Taraba State in the House of Representatives, Hon Danjuma Shiddi has lost his bid for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Taraba South Senatorial District seat.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in a judgment on Friday, dismissed Shiddi’s appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which affirmed the nomination of David Jimkuta as the actual candidate of the APC in the February 25 senatorial election in Taraba South Senatorial District.

Shiddi last month lodged an appeal before the Supreme Court in which he sought the reversal of the Court of Appeal judgment, and the reinstatement of the earlier judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had upheld his nomination as candidate of the APC in the said election.

In the lead judgment of the Supreme Court, written by Justice Centus Nweze, but read on Friday by Justice Adamu Jauro, the court held that the appeal by Shiddi was without merit and proceeded to dismiss it.

The apex court noted among others, that there was no need to tamper with the decision of the lower court, which set aside the judgment of the trial court for being perverse.

The five member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, affirmed the judgment of the three-member panel of the Appeal Court that upheld Jimkuta’s nomination.

The judgment which was on the appeal marked: SC/CV/252/2023 was applied to a similar appeal marked: SC/CV/253/2023 filed by the APC.

Justice Hamman Barka, of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, had in the judgment delivered last month, held that because the primary election, from which Jimkuta emerged, was conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, his nomination was valid and in accordance with relevant laws.

The court held that “only the NWC of the APC has the powers, the rights, and vires to conduct a valid primary election for the party.”

Mr. David Jimkuta had won the APC primary election for Taraba South but was wrongfully substituted by his party with the current member representing Wukari and Ibi Federal Constituency, Danjuma Shiddi.

Disatisfied with his substitution, Jimkuta headed to the Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba state, to seek redress, having won the party’s primary election with 170 votes against Shiddi who polled 70 votes.

He then prayed the court to declare him the winner of the primary and stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Shiddi, who came second, as the APC senatorial candidate for Taraba South.

Reacting to the judgment, Jimkuta thanked the Almighty God and the Judiciary for again proving to be the hope of the ordinary man, adding that his victory would further encourage youths not only in Taraba State but the entire country to go into partisan politics.

“It is a victory for democracy, the people of Taraba South and the entire APC family”, he said.

While calling on his opponents to join hands with him and work towards taking Taraba State to the next level, he assured the people of living up to expectations and building a lasting legacy with this opportunity to serve the people.

Similarly, his lawyer, Mr Johnson Usman, SAN, thanked God and the Judiciary for doing justice in the suit, noting that the victory both in the court and in the ballot has confirmed that Jimkuta is truly the choice of the people of Taraba South.

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