The ruling occasion in Bauchi State, the 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 occasion is asking the court docket to find out whether or not Buba’s participation within the PRP governorship major election and his subsequent emergence because the occasion’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 identify was absent from the PRP membership register submitted to INEC throughout the statutory interval prescribed by regulation, however was later included within the fee’s ultimate record of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
In its originating summons, the APM is asking the court docket to find out whether or not Buba’s participation within the PRP governorship major election held on 25 May 2026 and his subsequent nomination because the occasion’s candidate have been lawful, in mild of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The occasion additionally needs the court docket to find out whether or not Buba was eligible to take part within the major election, because the APM claims his identify didn’t seem on the PRP membership register submitted to INEC throughout the statutory interval.
Another concern 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 searching for 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 10 May 2026, forward of its governorship major election held on 25 May 2026.
It additional requested the court docket to find out whether or not the PRP might depend on any membership register aside from the one submitted to INEC throughout the statutory interval to determine Buba’s eligibility to take part within the major election.
The occasion is equally questioning whether or not INEC can lawfully retain Buba’s identify on the ultimate record of candidates for the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election if the court docket finds that his participation within the major election and subsequent nomination contravened the Electoral Act.
Consequently, the APM is searching for a declaration that INEC’s October 10, 2026 publication, which listed Buba because the PRP governorship candidate for Bauchi State, is illegal and null and void.
It can be asking the court docket to direct INEC to take away Buba’s identify 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 occasion members whose names seem within the relevant membership register are eligible to vote or be voted for at occasion 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 throughout 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 10 May 2026, however Buba’s identify was allegedly absent from the register on the time of submission.
He additionally alleged that Buba remained a member of the APC as of 19 May 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 25 May 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 court docket to nullify the nomination and compel INEC to take away his identify 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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