Taraba APC: Court sacks Elsudi led Executives
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The presiding Judge of the Federal High Court Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital, Justice Simon Amobeda Tuesday, set aside the elections of the Taraba State All Progressives Congress (APC), conducted on the 24th Oct; 2021 which produced Barr. Ibrahim Elsudi as the state chairman of the party.
Delivering judgement on a case filed by some aggrieved members of the party over the processes that led to the elections, the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, said the defendants had violated the guidelines of such elections as enshrined in the political party’s constitution.
He added that they had also gone ahead to conduct the election against the court order which was given to them prior to the election restraining them from conducting the elections.
However, interacting with the press shortly after the judgement, council to the defendant, Barr. John Odekena Esq. expressed dissatisfaction with the judgement and vowed to approach the appeal court after consulting his client.
“The court has given its judgement however; we want to say that this is not the final court. We have the court of appeal and the supreme court and we know that the supreme court has stated categorically, specifically and unequivocally in plethora of cases that intra party disputes are not issues where court can litigate open because they are domestic issues.
“The same supreme court is still in existence so in consultation with our client, we will be ready to roll in to motion our appeal at the Court of Appeal and we will remain undaunted and uncompromising until the final declaration is made on this issue. Until justice is manifestly, undoubtedly and clearly seen to be done to our client”. He stated.
On her part, Barr. Joy Ezekiel, council to the plaintiffs said the defendants had among other things failed to officially notified its members of the said election within 24 hours before the date of the election as stipulated in the guidelines of the party.
She expressed satisfaction with the judgment, stating that justice had prevailed at the end of a battle that started last year.
Also bearing his mind on the decision of the court, a member of the APC and contestant for the post of State Organizing Secretary in the said election, Hon Stephen Othaniel, expressed satisfaction with the judgement of the court, maintaining that democracy has come to stay through the defense of the judiciary.
According to him, People who feel they must negotiate the future of their great party, the APC had been defeated and so members would now have to come back as a family and work towards claiming their victory in the 2023 general elections.
