A five-man panel of judges at the Supreme Court of Nigeria has reinstated a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Abubakar Danladi, earlier impeached by the State House of Assembly on the orders of ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai.
The decision taken unanimously by five judges are the Supreme Court today effectively ends the tenure of the acting Governor of the state, Umar Garba.
Mr. Danladi was sacked in 2012 shortly before Governor Suntai had a brain injury arising from a plane crash in Yola, Adamawa state. After his controversial impeachment Danladi approached the courts to seek redress but lost out in the lower courts. The court has ordered that Mr. Danladi be sworn in immediately.
The decision coming on the heels of the swearing in of a a new Chief Justice of Nigeria who is an indigene of Taraba state would likely create fresh political tension in the state since Mr. Danladi would likely send the brain-injured governor packing.
Mr. Danladi was represented by a former Attorney General of nigeria, Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Yunus Ustaz (SAN) while Mr. Suntai was represented by Yusuf Alli (SAN)