2023 election: Court lifts ban, Danladi can now contest

Former senator Sani Abubakar Danladi, can now contest for political offices as a Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State,  lifts court ban previously placed on him.

The pardon came his way on Friday as the Hon Justice Simon Amobeda nullified a Court order which had earlier slammed on him not to participate in electoral activities in the country.

Senator Danladi, who was also a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State had through a court ruling delivered on March 6, 2019, been disqualified from contesting the 2019 governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) any future elections in Taraba State.

At the time of the judgement, the ex-lawmaker was the governorship flag bearer of APC, but was banned for falsifying his age in the INEC documents he submitted at the time.

Citing relevant sections of the Constitution, the Court Judge established that the Court has inherent jurisdiction to set aside the previous judgement, noting that the plaintiff has submitted the relevant documents that
qualifies him to participate in any elections.

Referring to a case of Supreme Court Vs Dingyadi, INEC Vs Okoro Ugwuanyi, and Kogi State Vs INEC Justice Amobeda said the earlier judgement has been set aside.

Lawyer to the plaintiff, Barr David Kashima, said the judgment was a victory for the rule of law, adding that his client does not have any encumbrance from participating in political activities in the country.

The All Progressives Congress is one of the two major contemporary political parties in Nigeria, along with its main rival, the People’s Democratic Party. It was founded on 6 February 2013