The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Taraba on Saturday nullified the election of Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress and a Minister designate, Aisha Alhassan, as the winner of the April 11 governorship election in the state.

The three-member tribunal held that Mr. Ishaku was not validly nominated as candidate of the PDP and therefore did not qualify, from start, to contest the governorship election.

Specifically, the tribunal held that the governorship primaries purportedly conducted by the PDP in the state was done in violation of section 78 (b) (1)(2) of the Electoral Act which guides parties nomination to the position of governorship candidate.

It held that contrary to the provision of the section, PDP conducted the purported primaries at its national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja with no clear delegation from the local government areas in the state.

The tribunal sustained the testimonies of the head of election monitoring of Independent National Electoral Commission that the commission was not aware of any primaries conducted by the party in line with the provision of the electoral act which produced Ishaku as the party’s flagbearer.

Section 78 (b) (1)(2) of the Electoral Act states: In the case of nomination to the position of Governorship candidate, a political party shall where they intend to sponsor candidates:

(i) hold special congress in each of the Local Government Areas of the States with delegates voting for each of the aspirants at the congress to be held in designated centres on specified dates.

(ii) the aspirant with the highest number of vote at the end of the voting shall be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the commission as the candidate of the party, for the particular state.

The tribunal said the defence by the PDP that the primaries were shifted to Abuja because of security challenges in the state was rejected by the tribunal.

It sustained the evidence of the INEC official that there was no primaries election in the state and the emergence of Mr. Ishaku through the purported election in Abuja was after the statutory stipulated time for party primaries had elapsed.

It held that since Mr. Ishaku was not duly sponsored by the PDP, the party had no candidate in the governorship election in the eyes of the law.

The tribunal therefore voided the votes of the PDP and Mr. Ishaku in the election saying “it is a waste’’ and declared the APC and its candidate, who came second, as the valid winner of the April 11 election.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to APC, Abiodun Owonikoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the judgment was a landmark being the first time the election of a governor would be nullified on the doctrine of wasted votes. He said with the judgment, the era of impunity in party primaries was gone and it would be a lesson not only for PDP but all political parties.

On whether Mr. Ishaku will vacate the seat immediately, Mr. Owonikoko said the judgment “is not the end of the road, there is opportunity for all the parties to explore whatever the grievance they have’’.

Mr. Owonikoko added that if the governor or the party did not appeal within 21 days, Ms. Alhassan will be sworn-in as governor.

The counsel to the PDP was not available to comment on the verdict of the Tribunal as they all rushed out of the venue after the judgment.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/192791-why-apcs-alhassan-was-declared-taraba-governor-tribunal.html

Note:

The APC based its petition on two grounds one of which is non conduct of primaries by the pdp.

Secondly, like petrelli07 argued elsewhere on this thread and I quote: The petitioners case here was simple: The respondent is not a recognized candidate of the party abd as such should not have fielded as the flagbearer in the election. The petitioner was able to prove that such act was a breach of protocol and as such yhe candidacy was null and void. In other words, PDP never presented a Candidate and as such all votes won by their party was null and void... In all fairness, the APC won this case and I think even the supreme court will uphold this decision..

Next is River State follow by Akwa Ibom. We are determined to send PDP. Completely out of Nigeria to Tanzania.

APC
Taraba people change don come.

More:

http://ireports-ng.com/2015/11/07/how-tribunal-sacked-taraba-gov-ishaku-to-declare-apcs-aisha-alhassan-nigerias-first-female-gov-its-a-political-judgment-fayose/

The Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal earlier today sacked the governor of the state, Mr. Darius Dickson Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that he was not sponsored by PDP or any political party as required by law.

In a declaratory judgment, the tribunal ordered the governor to vacate office for the APC candidate, Hajiya Aisha Jumai Alhassan who scored the second highest votes in the April 11, 2015 election to be sworn-in.

Delivering a unanimous judgment in a petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Hajia Aisha Jumai Alhassan, the tribunal chairman, Musa Danladi Abubakar ordered that the APC candidate be sworn-in having scored the second largest votes in the governorship election.

In the unanimous judgment that lasted about three hours, the tribunal Chairman, Musa Danladi Abubakar held that the purported nomination of the sacked governor by PDP breached section 85 of the Electoral Act 2010.

The tribunal held that it was a fundamental law in Nigeria that a candidate for an elective position must be duly nominated and sponsored by a registered political party before the candidature of such candidate can be legally valid.

In the instant case, the tribunal said that there was overwhelming evidence that PDP in Taraba State did not do any primary election that could have led to emergence of anybody as a sponsored candidate.

The tribunal recalled the evidence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on subpoena during the hearing of the petition when the Commission claimed that it has no record of any primary election by PDP in Taraba State whereas Section 85 of the Electoral Act made it mandatory that INEC must be given 21 days notice of a convention or a primary where candidates are to be nominated for election.

The tribunal therefore said that since Darius Ishaku was not sponsored by any known registered political party, he cannot lay claim to votes cast for any political party and cannot as well claim to be an independent candidate in the election. The APC and its governorship candidate had challenged the victory and declaration of Governor Darius Ishaku as winner of the April 11 election in the state by INEC .

At the hearing, counsel to the petitioners Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) adopted his final written addresses and urged the tribunal to return the 1st petitioner, Alhassan, as the elected governor of the state. However, counsel to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents in their unanimous submissions prayed the court to dismiss the petition, describing it as lacking in merit.

Change has visited Taraba state. The first female governor in Nigeria

kahal29:
Mods front page pls

front page ko,last page ni

DTOBS:

front page ko,last page ni

Hahahaha.... Front page nah

There is nothing the appellate court or supreme court can do about this. PDP has lost out, plain and simple.

kahal29:
Note:

The APC based its petition on two grounds one of which is non conduct of primaries by the pdp.

If this is correct, there won't be any basis for appeal as there is no miscarriage of justice as being peddled around. Going to Appeal Court will amount to waste of time and resources.

Sorry PDP and it's supporters aka the Abobakus.

Wow.....let it be on record that the supposedly women right abusers produced the first female governor in Nigeria!

Wailing wailers how market nah?

Btw, join ATBU Bauchi students in saying no to their fees increment by the university management

https://www.nairaland.com/2719635/atbu-bauchi-fees-increment-stand

This should be the first people should search for and read-up on the issue... The WHY.
Other not so intelligent or partisan people are already on other threads typing gibberish.

This clears are gray area. But trust politicians, they will appeal the judgement just so they can have more days to get their hands in the cookie jar.

lies

Lalasticlala come and display let those wailers hear word

bubus unique administration

APC are about to destroy democracy and make Nigeria a one party state.

The tribunal said the defence by the PDP that the primaries were shifted to Abuja because of security challenges in the state was rejected by the tribunal.

Why didn't the tribunal hold in Taraba state?
This same tribunal is presently sitting in Abuja because of........yes you guessed it...because of security challenges, same reason PDP primaries could not hold in Taraba.

kahal29:
Note:

The APC based its petition on two grounds one of which is non conduct of primaries by the pdp.

There was no conduct of primaries by APC in Imo State yet the Muhammadu Buhari's tribunal upheld the election of Okorocha. In fact, the report reaching us had indicated that Okorocha's son in-law was named not nominated as APC candidate Imo State. Nigeria is a joke and it seems worse everyday.

Hmmmmmm

Ok

.

To cripple PDP totally is a task that must be completely done.

Congrats women

Reason Why Apc’s Alhassan Was Declared Taraba Governor = BUHARI

Case closed

Issokay

Ok

Fayose d chief wailer should come and read this oo. PDP and shenanigans be lyk fried rice and chicken. They are always violating d law and going scot-free and in the orgy of d moment, they dreamt where this anomaly continued till 2060, chai! Era of impunity is gone 4eva. Buhari is really de-marketing naija 4 them.

PS: PDP don't realize yet that to every activity under the sun, there is a time and season. A season for PDP to impoverish nigeria and a time for it to die a natural death. I'm seriously waiting for d final burial bcuz pdp can never ever hold sway in ds nation again. You're free to quote me anywhere.

I smell lies

fine judges. PDP opposition ability is too weak for crying of loud. APC clearing them as if they are nothing. PDP wake up and fight an not just wailing and barking without biting as in here

[size=18pt]winter is coming in taraba.......expect crisis very soon because the jukuns will never allow it to happen[/size]

Apc is like boko haram..they want to capture all teritories but e no go work