Senator Sani Abubakar Danladi, the ministerial nominee from Taraba State, has refuted a story published by an online medium, claiming that the Supreme Court barred him from holding any political office for 10 years due to forgery allegations.
In a statement released by his lawyer, Ujah Israel Ujah, Senator Danladi asserted that the story is a false representation of the facts. He emphasized that there is no existing court judgment in Nigeria that disqualifies him from contesting elections or holding any public office.
Danladi expressed that the publication aims to tarnish his reputation and create an impression of his ineligibility for the position for which he was nominated by President Bola Tinubu, in the eyes of the approving agency.
He clarified that indeed, a case arose on March 6, 2019, at the Federal High Court, Jalingo Division, with the Judgment in Suit NO: FHC/JAL/CS/1/2019 Between Usman Udi & 3 Ors. Vs. Abubakar Sani Danladi & Anor, leading to his disqualification from contesting the gubernatorial election of Taraba State in the 2019 General Election.
However, Senator Danladi appealed against the decision to both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and the appeal was subsequently struck out due to its incompetence.
“However, on page 20 of the Supreme Court’s Judgment, His Lordship, Peter-Odili, JSC (as she then was) held thus: “Learned Senior Counsel for the appellants had sought to lead the court to the earlier situation relating to the cause of action at the trial court by contending that the trial court itself had no jurisdiction to determine the matter in the first place if Section 285 CFRN is applicable, since the cause of action arose on 25th October 2018, a point not disputed, and the Originating Summons filed on 9th January 2017 which made the action filed 76 days after the accrued cause of action, instead of 14 days provided by Section 285 (9) of the Constitution”.
He further explained that based on the findings of the apex Court, he initiated legal action before the same Federal High Court, Jalingo Division, to invalidate its previous decision due to the lack of jurisdiction to entertain the initial suit.
Subsequently, the court acknowledged the merit in the case and, on October 15, 2021, overturned its previous decision, as it was rendered without jurisdiction.
Following this development, the Defendants in SUIT No: Fhc/Jal/Cs/10/2021, which involved Abubakar Sani Danladi Vs. Usman Udi &5 ORS, lodged a Notice and Grounds of Appeal with the Court of Appeal, Yola Division. However, this appeal was later withdrawn.
Based on the aforementioned legal actions and outcomes, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenged his candidacy as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State before the 2023 general election, the case was dismissed.
Ujah added, “Giving all these facts, it is clear for the blind to see and audible for the deaf to hear that there is no subsisting judgment of any court in Nigeria disqualifying our client from either contesting an election or barring him from holding any public office.”
