The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has instituted a swimsuit on the Federal High Court in Bauchi, difficult the eligibility of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) deputy governorship candidate, to contest the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.
The APM is questioning the legality of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) publication of Mohammed’s identify because the PRP operating mate, alleging that his identify was not included within the get together’s membership register submitted to the electoral fee earlier than the deadline.
The get together can be searching for judicial interpretation of related provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, concerning the eligibility of the deputy governorship candidate.
Speaking with journalists in Bauchi yesterday, the APM’s authorized adviser, Barr. Jidauna Tula, mentioned the swimsuit, marked FHC/BAU/CS/70/2026, was filed within the curiosity of justice and equity.
He mentioned the motion seeks the enforcement of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026. The swimsuit lists INEC as the primary defendant, Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed because the second defendant and the PRP because the third defendant.
Tula defined that the APM approached the court docket following INEC’s publication of Mohammed’s identify on October 10, 2026, because the PRP deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.
According to him, the get together needs the court docket to find out whether or not the publication complied with the related provisions of the Electoral Act and the Constitution.
He mentioned one of many questions submitted for willpower was whether or not INEC lawfully revealed Mohammed’s identify because the PRP operating mate, contemplating the provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The APM additionally requested the court docket to find out whether or not Mohammed’s identify might lawfully be revealed because the get together’s deputy governorship candidate when, based on the plaintiff, his identify was absent from the PRP membership register submitted to INEC on May 10, 2026.
The get together additional questioned Mohammed’s eligibility, alleging that he remained a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when the PRP submitted its membership register to INEC.
Tula mentioned the swimsuit additionally challenges the PRP’s compliance with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which the plaintiff cited in relation to the submission of get together membership registers forward of major elections.
He mentioned the APM was asking the court docket to find out whether or not the publication of Mohammed’s identify was lawful, given the alleged non-compliance with the related electoral provisions and the timing of the get together’s membership register submission and first election.
The plaintiff is searching for declarations that INEC’s publication of Mohammed’s identify because the PRP deputy governorship candidate was illegal, having regard to the mixed provisions of Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The APM can be asking the court docket to declare that Mohammed’s identify was unlawfully revealed as a result of, based on the get together, it was not contained within the PRP membership register submitted to INEC.
In addition, the get together needs the court docket to find out whether or not his alleged continued membership of the APC on the time the PRP submitted its register affected the legality of his emergence because the get together’s deputy governorship candidate.
The APM is additional searching for a declaration that the alleged breaches of the Electoral Act render the publication of Mohammed’s identify illegal, null and void, and with out authorized impact.
According to Tula, the get together’s counsel, Luka Musa Haruna, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has additionally requested the court docket to challenge a compulsory order directing INEC to take away Mohammed’s identify from its ultimate checklist of candidates for the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.
The plaintiff’s authorized argument depends, amongst different provisions, on Section 187(2) of the Constitution, which extends related provisions regarding the qualification and disqualification of a governor to the workplace of deputy governor, and Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding the submission of political events’ membership registers to INEC forward of major elections.
The newest swimsuit comes every week after the APM filed one other authorized motion difficult the eligibility of the PRP governorship candidate, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, to contest the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.
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