Supreme court affirms Jigawa deputy governor as APC guber candidate

The supreme court has dismissed an appeal challenging the nomination of Umar Namadi, deputy governor of Jigawa state, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Farouk Aliyu, a former member of the house of representatives, challenged the APC primary held on May 26, which produced Namadi as the party’s governorship candidate.

A federal high court in Dutse had, on September 13, dismissed Aliyu’s suit on the grounds that he failed to prove his case with credible evidence.

Hassan Dikko, the trial judge, had also held that Aliyu lacked the right to sue the governorship candidate.

Aliyu had proceeded to the court of appeal, and in its judgment delivered on November 4, upheld Namadi’s nomination.

However, a three-member panel of the court of appeal led by Ita Mbaba, quashed the part of the trial court’s judgment which held that Aliyu lacked locus standi to institute the suit.

Aliyu, thereafter, filed an appeal before the supreme court challenging the judgment of the appellate court.

Namadi also filed a cross-appeal challenging the portion of the appellate court judgment upturning the trial court’s decision that Aliyu lacked the right to have filed the suit.

Delivering judgment on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court held that Aliyu’s appeal “lacked merit”.

“The appellant failed to prove the declarative reliefs he sought. This appeal lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed,” Ibrahim Saulawa, who read the lead judgment by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said.

The apex court also struck out Namadi’s cross-appeal on the grounds that the main appeal had been dismissed.