Court nullifies APC primary, bars winner from fresh one

The Federal High Court 2 in Gombe has invalidated the May 16, 2026 All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Constituency Primary Election, which resulted in the selection of Ali Isa J.C. as the party's candidate for the Balangailliri Federal Constituency. Justice Vera E. Ibrahim ruled that the party must hold a new primary and disqualified Ali J.C. from standing.

Justice Ibrahim cited non-compliance with Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which states that a candidate's name must be in the party's membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days prior to the primary, as the issue was not resolved. The plaintiff, Hon. John Alfred, challenged the validity of the election and the party's candidate.

The court stated that Ali J.C. joined the party only 16 days before the primary. The court also noted that the primary was not conducted with strict compliance with statutory requirements, making the whole process invalid. The court ordered the APC to hold a new primary within 30 days to select a candidate for the Balangailliri Federal Constituency. Counsel to the plaintiff, Ibrahim Aliyu, called the judgment a victory for internal democracy.