Beatrice Gondyi Bauchi
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Bauchi State has approached the Federal High Court in Bauchi to challenge Senator Shehu Buba Umar’s eligibility to contest the 2027 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The suit seeks a judicial determination of whether Buba’s participation in the PRP governorship primary and his subsequent emergence as the party’s candidate complied with relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The APM’s legal adviser, Barrister Jidauna Tula, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Bauchi, saying the action was instituted to seek clarification on the law and promote fairness in the electoral process.
The suit, marked FHC/BAU/CS/68/2026, lists the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PRP and Senator Buba as defendants.
According to Tula, the party is questioning Buba’s eligibility on the grounds that he allegedly participated in an All Progressives Congress (APC) primary before emerging as the PRP governorship candidate.
He also alleged that Buba’s name was not included in the PRP membership register submitted to INEC within the period stipulated by law but was subsequently published by the commission as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
The APM is asking the court to determine whether Buba was qualified to participate in the PRP governorship primary held on May 25, 2026, given the alleged omission of his name from the party’s membership register submitted to INEC.
The party is also seeking clarification on whether Buba’s alleged continued membership of the APC at the time the PRP submitted its register affected his eligibility to participate in the party’s primary election.
Another issue before the court is whether the PRP complied with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which, according to the APM, required political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC by May 10, 2026, ahead of the May 25 primary.
Tula explained that the party’s legal argument was based on provisions governing the submission of membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries.
He cited Section 77(4), which requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before their primaries, congresses or conventions.
He also referred to Section 77(8), which he said restricts participation in party primaries to members whose names appear in the applicable membership register, and Section 77(6), which the APM argues prevents parties from relying on a different register from the one submitted within the statutory period.
The APM further wants the court to determine whether the PRP can rely on any membership register other than the one submitted to INEC within the legally prescribed timeframe to establish Buba’s eligibility.
It is also asking the court to determine whether INEC can retain Buba’s name on the final list of candidates if his participation in the primary and subsequent nomination are found to have violated the Electoral Act.
Consequently, the party is seeking an order declaring INEC’s publication of October 10, 2026, which listed Buba as the PRP governorship candidate for Bauchi State, unlawful, null and void.
It is also asking the court to direct INEC to remove his name from the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
Tula maintained that the circumstances surrounding the submission of the PRP membership register and Buba’s participation in the primary raised questions that required judicial interpretation.
However, INEC, the PRP and Senator Buba had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report. Efforts were reportedly ongoing to obtain their reactions.
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