Court affirms APC primary election in Jigawa, dismisses suit challenging outcome 

A Federal High Court in Dutse has affirmed the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, which produced Aliyu Hussaini Usaini Jabo as the party’s candidate.

The suit was instituted by fellow aspirant, Ishaq El-Yakubu Nabayi, who challenged the outcome of the primary election conducted in June 2026.

Delivering a judgment on the matter, Justice Muhammad Ibrahim held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, ruling that the suit was incompetent because it was filed outside the 14-day period prescribed by law for pre-election matters.

The judge also noted that the plaintiff failed to file the required affidavit on multiplicity of actions.

Consequently, the court dismissed and struck out the suit. It also awarded costs of N5 million in favour of the APC, Aliyu Hussaini Usaini Jabo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking after the judgment, counsel to the defendants, Abdul Adam, SAN, said the case had been before the court for about 40 days and that the defence responded to all the plaintiff’s filings while also raising a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

According to him, the court upheld their objection and dismissed the originating summons filed by the plaintiff.

Also commenting on the judgment, counsel to the APC, Barrister Baffa Alhassan, explained that the plaintiff had sued the APC, INEC and the party’s House of Representatives candidate after the June 2026 primary election.

He said the defence argued that the action was filed outside the constitutional timeframe for pre-election cases, adding that after considering all the submissions from both parties, the court upheld the APC primary election and affirmed Aliyu Hussaini Usaini Jabo as the validly nominated candidate for the constituency.

MEDIA TODAY reported that, The House of Representatives aspirant Elyakub Nabayi, has challenged the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election that produced Hussaini Adamu Jabo as the party’s candidate for the Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency ahead of the election.

He challenged the conduct of the primary election, alleging that the exercise was marred by irregularities and electoral malpractice in three wards.