Appeal court clears APC, PDP guber candidates in Taraba, Kano

The court of appeal has cleared Sani Danladi, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba, and Abba Yusuf, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano.

In separate rulings, the court cleared the duo to participate in Saturday’s governorship election.

In the case of Danladi, the appeal court ordered a stay of execution on the ruling of a federal high court, Jalingo which disqualified him from contesting the election over alleged falsification of age.

Chidi Uwa, presiding judge, gave an interim order of injunction barring the plaintiffs in the case that disqualified Danladi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from taking further steps on the ruling of the lower court.

“The parties are to maintain the status quo ante bellum and are to stay action and or steps towards the execution of the judgement of the federal high court delivered on 6/3/2019,” the judge held.

“An interim order of injunction is hereby ordered, restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents from taking any steps towards the execution of the said judgement.”

Danaladi is one of the top contenders in the battle to unseat Darius Ishaku, the incumbent governor, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the case of Kano, the appeal court presided by Daniel Kalio granted a stay of execution of the order of a high court which barred the PDP from recognising Yusuf as candidate.

The court also restrained INEC from removing Yusuf’s name and other PDP candidates from the list of the 2019 contest.

The high court had prevented the PDP from recognising Yusuf as candidate due to an application filed by, Mohammed El-Amin, a  PDP governorship aspirant.

It ruled in favour of El-Amin and ordered the PDP to conduct fresh primaries.