The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has approached the Federal High Court in Bauchi, seeking the disqualification of Senator Shehu Buba Umar from the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election over alleged violations of the Electoral Act 2026.
The party is challenging Buba’s emergence as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), alleging that his name was missing from the party’s membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the period prescribed by law.
In the suit, marked FHC/BAU/CS/68/2026, the APM is asking the court to nullify Buba’s nomination and direct INEC to remove his name from the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
The party’s legal adviser, Jidauna Tula, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Bauchi, explaining that the case seeks an interpretation of the legal provisions governing party membership registers and eligibility for primary elections.
According to Tula, the PRP was required to submit its membership register to INEC on or before May 10, 2026, ahead of its governorship primary held on May 25.
The APM alleged that Buba’s name was absent from the register submitted by the PRP, arguing that his participation in the primary despite the alleged omission raises questions about the legality of his nomination.
The party further claimed that Buba had participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary before emerging as the PRP candidate. It also alleged that he remained an APC member as of May 19, 2026, nine days after the deadline for submitting the PRP membership register.
Through its originating summons, the APM is asking the court to determine whether Buba was eligible to participate in the PRP governorship primary and whether his emergence as the party’s flag bearer complied with the Electoral Act.
The party also wants the court to establish whether the PRP complied with the statutory requirement for submitting its membership register and whether it can rely on any register other than the one submitted to INEC within the prescribed period.
The suit further challenges INEC’s publication of Buba’s name as the PRP governorship candidate on October 10, 2026. The APM argues that the commission should not recognise the nomination if the court finds that the process violated the law.
Explaining the legal basis of the action, Tula said Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before conducting primaries, congresses or conventions.
He added that Sections 77(5) and 77(6) address eligibility in relation to the applicable membership register and restrict political parties from relying on a different register from the one submitted within the statutory period.
The APM maintained that INEC’s publication of Buba’s name was based on a nomination it considers unlawful and urged the court to declare the publication null and void.
However, the court has yet to determine the allegations or rule on the reliefs sought by the party.
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