RismadarVoice Reporters
November 9, 2026
The Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State, has dismissed a suit filed by Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja challenging the emergence of Baba Mallam Wali as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 general election.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Fatima Murtala Amin ruled that the action was statute-barred, having been instituted outside the period prescribed by the Constitution for pre-election disputes.
Maihaja, an aspirant in the APC governorship primary held on May 21, 2026, had approached the court seeking to challenge the exercise that produced Wali as the party’s candidate.
Wali was declared the winner of the primary with 236,711 votes.
The plaintiff alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election, including over-voting and failure to comply with the party’s electoral guidelines.
However, the court upheld a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit on the grounds that it was filed outside the legally permitted period.
Justice Amin also examined the substantive allegations raised by Maihaja and found that the evidence presented was insufficient to establish over-voting.
The court reportedly identified material contradictions and inconsistencies in the testimonies of the plaintiff’s witnesses, describing their evidence as unreliable.
It further held that even if the suit had been instituted within the prescribed period, the allegations would still have failed for lack of credible supporting evidence.
The judgment leaves Wali’s nomination as the APC governorship candidate undisturbed at the Federal High Court level.
Reacting to the ruling, Wali, through a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Shuaibu Abdullahi, welcomed the court’s decision and expressed confidence in the judiciary.
The APC candidate commended the court for its consideration of the issues raised during the proceedings and reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law.
The dispute arose from the party’s governorship primary conducted as part of preparations for the 2027 elections in Yobe State.
The ruling highlights the importance of complying with constitutional deadlines when challenging the conduct or outcome of political party primaries.
Although the Federal High Court has dismissed Maihaja’s suit, the judgment does not necessarily prevent an appeal through the appropriate judicial process.
No appeal against Monday’s decision had been independently confirmed at the time of this report.
