By: Clement Idoko-Abuja
A gubernatorial aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State, Chief David Sabo-Kente, has filled for contempt against APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Senator Emmanuel Bwacha for violating supreme court orders.
He insisted that he would continue to be a member of the APC until the party says otherwise.
Sabo-Kente, who spoke with newsmen on Friday, over the crisis rocking the party in the state, stressed that he would remain in the party and fight for justice and the enthronement of true democracy in the state.
Recall that the chief Kente, alongside four other aspirants under the platform of the APC, had boycotted the recent party primary held in the state on the grounds that it was illegal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had earlier issued a judgement nullifying the governorship primary election in Taraba, following a suit filed by Sabo-Kente, seeking the nullification of the primary that produced Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha.
He accused the APC, NEC, INEC and others,of acting in violation of the Supreme Court order.
According to him, though the apex granted all the reliefs he sought, it however, did not order the re-run of the election, and so the recent primary held in Jalingo, was a clear violation of the court’s orders, and so five out of the six aspirants boycotted the election, leaving only Bwacha.
He said though he was happy that the right judgement was given by the highest court of the land overturning previous defeats, he noted that due process must be followed in doing things and so the orders of the court must be followed to the latter.
Sabo-Kente, however, dismissed insinuations that his aim was to ensure that APC did not have a gubernatorial candidate in the state.
“That is a very wrong notion. I am very passionate about this party as I have been here for a very long time.
“But it seems the people want us to have a candidate without going through due process.
“You are aware of how the purported primaries were held. How can you drag seven trucks of military men and Buratai, the former Chief of Army Staff, to hold primaries which none of the candidates attended?
“Five of us are in the race with him, and by him, I mean former Sen. Bwacha. So how can you hold an election where five of the six candidates did not participate?’’
“The Supreme Court clearly orders if it wants a rerun. Relief number eight was totally granted, but checking relief number eight, it explicitly delisted Emmanuel Bwacha from participating in the primaries and it also delisted our party from participating in the 2023 elections.
“So how will an order from the highest court in the land be flouted by people?’’
Sabo-Kente insisted that he was a man who believed in the rule of law and so had returned to the court to file a contempt suit against all the parties in the alleged illegality.
Commenting on the current currency crisis, the aspirant described the policy as a good one, adding that with every major policy, people were bound to feel the pain.
“Of course when there is a major currency change in a country like Nigeria, it is always difficult.
“It is a policy that is meant to better the life of Nigerians ultimately, though it affects everyone.
“And I want to believe the government did not just wake up to bring this policy into play.”
