A Yola, Adamawa State High Court, on Tuesday, nullified the nomination of the senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Abbo, following his expulsion from the All Progressives Congress in his ward.
Justice Mohammed Danladi held that Senator Abbo, having been expelled at his ward, was not qualified to enjoy the privileges of membership to seek nomination under the party or re-election.
According to the court, the embattled senator and APC are bound by the resolution of the Mubi North Local Government Council executives dated October 7, 2022, which expelled the lawmaker.
At a meeting on October 7, APC council executives from Mubi North deliberated and expelled Senator Abbo, after they accused and found him guilty of anti-party activity, following his condemnation and opposition to the same faith ticket of the APC.
Dissatisfied with the state working committee’s handling of the disputed expulsion, Abdullahi Suleiman and Yusha’u Usman of Kolere and Sabon Layi wards, Mubi North LGA, respectively, sued the senator and sought, interpretation regarding his status in APC, following the disciplinary action taken by the party at the council.
The court in its ruling on Tuesday, restrained APC under which the Senator was seeking re-election from recognising him as its candidate, saying that he could not validly be the candidate of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
But it’s unclear if the court judgement will stop Abbo, whose name appeared on INEC’s final list of candidates contesting the forthcoming National Assembly and presidential elections, slated for February 25, 2023.
Abbo’s counsel, Barrister Evarastus Odo, said the senator will determine the next move, if he’d appeal the judgement.
Justice Danladi, earlier during the court proceedings, said the senator had ample time to put forward his defence but refused to show respect to the court, hence the court’s decision to show him the way out of the party.
The judge further held that the action of the plaintiffs in suing the senator was not an internal affair of the party as claimed, and that they had locus standi to institute the action against Abbo, since they were registered members of the party.