From Muhammad Ahmadu saka, Bauchi
The Allied Peoples Movement, APM, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court Bauchi challenging the eligibility of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election as a running mate and deputy gubernatorial candidate under the PRP.
The Party argued that Tijjani Aliyu, as a Deputy Gbernatorial candidate of PRP, his name was not in the list submitted to the electoral body by the PRP before INEC closed the submission of names of registered members of the party.
The Legal adviser to the APM, Barrister Jidauna Tula told reporters in Bauchi that the suit number FHC/BAU/CS/70/2026 was filed because the party wanted the court in the interest of Justice and fairness to interpret the electoral law regarding the candidacy of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed as PRP deputy gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 general election.
Tula said the suit was filed seeking the enforcement of section 77 (4),
77(5) and 77((6) of the electoral act 2026.
The Legal Adviser said the case was filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed and the Peoples Redemption Party PRP because in the list of eligible candidates to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election, the electoral body published the name of Tijjani Aliyu as PRP deputy gubernatorial candidate .
He said “we asked the court to look in to whether the publication of the name of Tijjani as Deputy Gubernatorial candidate is lawful”, with regards to the combined provisions of Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1000 (as amended).
Tula said “whether the publication by the electoral body, on the 10th of October 2026, displaying the name of Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the 3rd Defendant for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is lawful, having regards to the combined provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026”
He said “whether having regards to Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, the name of Tijjani Aliyu was lawfully published by INEC on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, when the Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed’s name was not present on the 3rd Defendant’s register of members submitted by the PRP to INEC”
Tula said “we have asked the court to look into “whether the INEC lawfully published the name of the Tijjani Aliyu on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election given the 2nd Defendant’s continued membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as at the 10th day of May 2026 when PRP submitted its register of members to INEC “.
The Legal adviser said “ whether INEC lawfully published the name of Tijjani on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the 3rd Defendant in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, the 3rd Defendant having failed to comply with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026 when it submitted her register of members to the INEC on the 10th of May, 2026, and held its primary election on the 25th day of May 2026”.
He said “whether in the light of the cumulative breaches of the Electoral Act 2026, the publication of the name of Tijjani Aliyu by the INEC on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election is not unlawful, illegal, null, void and of no legal effect whatsoever”
Tula said “we sought relief from the court for a declaration that the qualification/disqualification of a candidate as running mate/Deputy Governorship published by the INEC, on the 10th of October 2026, displaying the name of the Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is unlawful, having regards to the combined provisions of Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.
He said “we asked for “a declaration that the publication by the INEC, on the 10th of October 2028, displaying the name of the Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is unlawful, having regard to the combined provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.”
The Legal adviser said “we asked for another “ declaration that the name of Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy was unlawfully published in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, when his name was not present on the PRP’s register of members submitted by the PRP on the 10th day of May 2026 to the INEC”.
He said “we want the court to declare that Tijjani Aliy’sname was unlawfully published by INEC on the 10th day of October 2027 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election given the Tijjani Aliyu’s continued of the All membership Progressives Congress (APC) as at the 10th day of May 2026 when the PRP submitted its membership register to the INEC.”
Tula said “we asked for a declaration that the INEC unlawfully published the name of the Tijjani Aliyu on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate under the platform of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, the 3rd Defendant having failed to comply with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026 when it submitted her register of members to the INEC on the 10th of May. 2026, and held its primary election on the 25th day of May 2026.”
He said “we asked for a declaration that in the light of the cumulative breaches of the Electoral Act 2026, the publication of the name of the Tijjani Aliyu on the 10th day of October 2026 as the Deputy Governorship candidate under the platform of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election is unlawful, illegal, null, void and of no legal effect whatsoever”.
The Legal adviser said “our counsel Luka Musa Haruna Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN asked for a mandatory order, directing the INEC to forthwith remove/strike out Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP from its final list of candidates for the 2027 Governorship Election in Bauchi State, published on the 10th of October, 2026, citing Section 187(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, provided that any provisions of Part II relating to qualification, disqualifications, declaration of assets and liabilities and oath of Governor shall apply in relation to the office of Deputy Governor, and Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which prescribes 21 days period before the date fixed for party primary election, congress or convention, within which a political party must make its membership register available to INEC.
“Last Week the APM filed a suit challenging the eligibility of PRP Governorship candidate Senator Shehu Buba Umar to contest for Bauchi Governorship election in the 2027 Gubernatorial election, but Bubba’s team of lawyers argued that he is contesting the gubernatorial seat lawfully.”
