The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Bauchi, challenging the eligibility of Senator Shehu Buba Umar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to contest the 2027 governorship election.
The Legal Adviser to the APM, Barrister Jidauna Tula, told reporters in Bauchi that the suit, No. FHC/BAU/CS/68/2026, was filed to seek judicial interpretation of the Electoral Act regarding the candidacy of Senator Buba.
Tula said the suit was filed pursuant to Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act, 2026, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Senator Shehu Buba.
He alleged that Senator Buba had earlier contested the primary election under the All Progressives Congress (APC) but later emerged as the PRP governorship candidate, and his name was subsequently published by INEC.
In its originating summons, the APM is asking the court to determine:
1. Whether the emergence of Shehu Buba as the governorship candidate of the PRP for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is lawful, having regard to Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
2. Whether, pursuant to Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026, Senator Buba was eligible to be voted for in the PRP governorship primary, given that his name did not appear on the party’s membership register submitted to INEC within the statutory period.
3. Whether the continued membership of Senator Buba in the APC as at the date the PRP submitted its membership register to INEC, and the absence of his name from that register, are material to determining his eligibility to participate in the PRP primary and emerge as its candidate.
4. Whether the PRP complied with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, when it submitted its membership register on or before 10th May, 2026, and conducted its governorship primary on 25th May, 2026.
5. Whether, having regard to Section 77(6), the PRP could lawfully rely on any membership register other than the one submitted to INEC within the statutory period to establish Senator Buba’s eligibility.
6. Whether INEC can lawfully retain Senator Buba’s name on the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election if the court finds that his participation in the primary and his nomination contravened the Electoral Act.
The APM is asking the court to declare that the publication by INEC on 10th October, 2026, listing Shehu Buba as the governorship candidate of the PRP for the 2027 election is unlawful, null and void.
The party further contended that by virtue of Sections 77(4) and (5) of the Electoral Act, eligibility to vote or be voted for at the PRP governorship primary held on 25th May, 2026, is governed by the membership register submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before the primaries. It alleged that Shehu Buba’s name was absent from the register submitted within that period.
Consequently, the APM argued that by virtue of Sections 77(4) and (5), Shehu Buba was not eligible to be voted for at the primary, and by virtue of Section 77(6), the PRP cannot rely on any other register. It therefore seeks an order directing INEC to remove his name from the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election published on 10th October, 2026.
Explaining the grounds of the suit, Barrister Tula said Section 77(4) prescribes that a political party must submit its membership register to INEC not later than 21 days before its primary, while Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names are in that register are eligible to vote and be voted for. Section 77(6) prohibits a party from using a different register for its primaries.
He alleged that the PRP was required to submit its register on or before 10th May, 2026, but Shehu Buba’s name was absent as he was still a member of the APC as at 19th May, 2026, yet he participated and emerged as the PRP candidate on 25th May, 2026.
