The ruling celebration in Bauchi State ‘Allied Peoples Movement’ (APM) has instituted a go well with on the Federal High Court in Bauchi, difficult the eligibility of Senator Shehu Buba Umar to contest the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The celebration is asking the courtroom to find out whether or not Buba’s participation within the PRP governorship major election and his subsequent emergence because the celebration’s candidate complied with the provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The authorized adviser to the APM, Barr. Jidauna Tula, disclosed this whereas briefing journalists in Bauchi yesterday, explaining that the go well with was filed within the curiosity of justice and equity and to acquire a judicial interpretation of the related provisions of the Electoral Act.
The go well with, marked FHC/BAU/CS/68/2026, names the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PRP and Senator Shehu Buba Umar as defendants.
According to Barr. Tula, the APM is difficult Buba’s eligibility on the grounds that he allegedly participated in an All Progressives Congress (APC) major election earlier than subsequently rising because the PRP’s governorship candidate.
He additional alleged that Buba’s title was absent from the PRP membership register submitted to INEC inside the statutory interval prescribed by regulation, however was later included within the fee’s last record of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
In its originating summons, the APM is asking the courtroom to find out whether or not Buba’s participation within the PRP governorship major election held on May 25, 2026, and his subsequent nomination because the celebration’s candidate had been lawful, contemplating the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The celebration additionally desires the courtroom to find out whether or not Buba was eligible to take part within the major election when, in response to the APM, his title didn’t seem on the PRP membership register submitted to INEC inside the statutory interval.
Another challenge raised within the go well with is whether or not Buba’s alleged continued membership of the APC on the time the PRP submitted its membership register to INEC has any bearing on his eligibility to take part within the PRP major election and emerge as its candidate.
The APM can be in search of a willpower of whether or not the PRP complied with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 by submitting its membership register on or earlier than May 10, 2026, forward of its governorship major election held on May 25, 2026.
It additional requested the courtroom to find out whether or not the PRP may depend on any membership register apart from the one submitted to INEC inside the statutory interval to determine Buba’s eligibility to take part within the major election.
The celebration is equally questioning whether or not INEC can lawfully retain Buba’s title on the ultimate record of candidates for the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election if the courtroom finds that his participation within the major election and subsequent nomination contravened the Electoral Act.
Consequently, the APM is in search of a declaration that INEC’s publication of October 10, 2026, which listed Buba because the PRP governorship candidate for Bauchi State, is illegal, null and void.
It can be asking the courtroom to direct INEC to take away Buba’s title from the ultimate record of candidates for the 2027 governorship election within the state.
Explaining the authorized foundation of the go well with, Tula mentioned Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires political events to submit their membership registers to INEC not later than 21 days earlier than the dates mounted for his or her primaries, congresses and conventions.
He added that Section 77(8), as cited within the go well with, offers that solely celebration members whose names seem within the relevant membership register are eligible to vote or be voted for at celebration primaries, congresses and conventions.
Tula additional argued that Section 77(6) prohibits political events from counting on a membership register totally different from the one submitted to INEC inside the prescribed interval for his or her primaries, congresses or conventions.
According to him, the PRP was required to submit its membership register to INEC on or earlier than May 10, 2026, however Buba’s title was allegedly absent from the register on the time of submission.
He additionally alleged that Buba remained a member of the APC as of May 19, 2026, after the PRP had submitted its membership register to INEC, arguing that the circumstances raised questions on his eligibility to take part within the PRP major election held on May 25, 2026.
The APM contends that Buba’s participation within the major election and his emergence because the PRP governorship candidate violated the related provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
It subsequently maintains that his nomination is illegal and with out authorized impact, and has requested the courtroom to nullify the nomination and compel INEC to take away his title from the record of candidates.
There was no response from INEC, the PRP or Senator Shehu Buba Umar as of the time of submitting this report. However, our correspondent is making additional efforts to acquire reactions from the events concerned.
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