BEVERLY HILLS, June 23, (THEWILL) – The lawmaker representing Taraba North in the Senate, Abubakar Danladi was on Friday axed from the upper legislative chamber by the Supreme Court, which declared Shuaibu Lau of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the rightful person to represent the district.
The apex court ordered Danladi to immediately vacate the seat and refund all salaries and allowances he received within 90 days. It also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue a fresh certificate of return to Lau.
This order was contained in the judgment of the court on the appeal filed by Shuaibu Lau challenging the decision of the court of appeal that had upturned his victory during the primary that he was wrongfully substituted.
The Supreme Court, in the unanimous decision of its five-member panel, held that “The appellant has the right to participate just like any other candidate in the primary and if he feels his right was infringed upon, he has the right to approach the court.
“And his substitution at the primary election is null and void since the appellant scored the highest number of votes, the only option is to declare the appellant as the winner of the primary.”
THEWILL recalls that Danladi’s political career was once saved by the same court which ousted him on Friday. The supreme court had in 2014 ordered his reinstatement as Taraba State’s deputy governor after he was impeached in controversial circumstances.
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