The Federal High Court in Damaturu dismissed a petition that challenged the emergence of Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Yobe State in the 2027 general election. The decision, delivered on Monday, 9 November 2026, was handed down by Justice Fatima Murtala Amin.
Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, one of the aspirants who contested the APC primary held on 21 May 2026, filed the suit after the primary produced Wali as the winner with 236,711 votes. Maihaja alleged that the primary was marred by irregularities, including over‑voting and a failure to comply with the party’s electoral guidelines.
In its judgment, the court held that the petition was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period and was therefore statute‑barred. Even if the action had been brought within time, the court found that Maihaja had not provided credible evidence to prove the alleged over‑voting or other irregularities. The court also noted material contradictions and inconsistencies in the testimonies of the plaintiff’s witnesses, rendering their evidence unreliable.
In a statement signed by the APC candidate’s press secretary, Shuaibu Abdullahi, Wali praised the court for its “painstaking consideration of the issues” and reaffirmed his confidence in the judiciary as the ultimate guardian of justice and the rule of law.
Wali’s emergence as the APC candidate comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, in which Yobe State will elect a new governor. The court’s ruling confirms the APC’s primary results and clears the way for the party’s campaign to proceed without legal challenge.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>