Senator Ishaku Abbo has been ousted as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Adamawa North senatorial zone by a Yola High Court presided over by Justice Mohammed Danladi.
The court on Tuesday dismissed him on the grounds that his ward in Adamawa’s Mubi North Local Government Area had kicked him out of the party.
Justice Danladi held that the Senator and APC are bound by the resolution of the APC Mubi North Local government chapter’s executive expelling him from the party on 7th October 2022.
The court also averred that Abbo is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to APC members.
Last 7th October, the Mubi North LG executive of the party approved the expulsion of the Senator, as recommended by the party’s disciplinary committee.
The court further restrained APC under which the Senator is seeking re-election from recognising him as its candidate, saying that he cannot validly be the candidate of the party in the forthcoming general election.
The ruling also restrained Abbo from parading himself as the candidate of the party in the Northern Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election.
Justice Danladi held that the plaintiff’s counsel has proved beyond doubt and that the court is satisfied with the procedure followed by the party, saying that the Senator was accorded the opportunity to defend himself but deliberately refused to so do.
He said that the action of the plaintiffs in suing the Senator is not an internal affair of the party as claimed, and that they have locus standi to institute the action against him since they are registered members of the party.
Two APC members, Abdullahi Suleiman and Yusha’u Usman of Kolere and Sabon Layi Wards, Mubi North LGA, respectively, sued Abbo and sought for an interpretation regarding his status in APC.
In his reaction, counsel to the plaintiff, Abubakar Ali Esq appreciated the court, saying that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to erring members of the party who claim to be above the party.
Counsel to the defendant, E. O. Odo said that he would inform his client about the judgment of the court, saying that if he agrees, they would challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.
