2027: Bauchi APM Sues INEC, PRP, Shehu Buba Over PRP Governorship Candidacy Eligibility

From Paul Orude, Bauchi

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 gubernatorial election as a governorship candidate under the PRP.

Legal adviser to the APM, Barrister Jidauna Tula, told reporters in Bauchi that the suit, numbered FHC/BAU/CS/68/2026, was filed because the party wants the court, in the interest of justice and fairness, to interpret the electoral law regarding the candidacy of Senator Shehu Buba as the PRP candidate in the 2027 general election.

Tula said the suit was filed seeking the enforcement of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026. The legal adviser said the case was filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Senator Shehu Buba, the gubernatorial candidate.

He said Senator Shehu Buba Umar had earlier contested the primary election under the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and failed to meet the requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but later emerged as a candidate under the PRP, and his name was published by INEC.

In the originating summons filed by the APM, the party wants the court to determine whether the contesting of Shehu Buba as the gubernatorial candidate of the PRP for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is lawful, having regard to the provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The party also asked: “Pursuant to Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, was Buba eligible to be voted for in the 3rd Defendant’s governorship primary election, given that his name did not appear on the 3rd Defendant’s membership register submitted to the 1st Defendant within the statutory period?

“Whether the 2nd Defendant’s continued membership of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) as at the date the 3rd Defendant submitted its membership register to the 1st Defendant, and the absence of his name from that register, are material to determining whether he was lawfully entitled to participate in the 3rd Defendant’s governorship primary election and emerge as its candidate?

“Whether the 3rd Defendant complied with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 when it submitted its register of members on or before the 10th of May, 2026, and conducted its governorship primary election on the 25th of May, 2026?”

“Whether, having regard to Section 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026, the 3rd Defendant could lawfully rely on any membership register other than the one submitted to the 1st Defendant within the statutory period to establish the 2nd Defendant’s eligibility to participate in its governorship primary election?

“Whether INEC, having received the PRP’s membership register within the statutory period, can lawfully retain Shehu Buba’s name on the final list of candidates for the 2027 Governorship Election, if this Honourable Court determines that his participation in the 3rd Defendant’s primary election and purported nomination contravened the Electoral Act 2026.”

The APM asked the court to declare that the publication by INEC, on the 10th of October 2026, including the name of Shehu Buba as the gubernatorial candidate of the PRP for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election, is unlawful, null and void, having regard to the provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.

“By virtue of Sections 77(4) and (5) of the Electoral Act 2026, eligibility to vote or be voted for at the PRP’s governorship primary election held on 25th of May, 2026 is governed by the membership register submitted to INEC within the statutory period of not later than 21 days before the date fixed for the primaries, and Shehu Buba’s name was absent from the PRP’s membership register submitted to INEC within the statutory period of not later than 21 days before the date fixed for its governorship primary election held on 25th of May, 2026,” APM  stated.

“By virtue of Sections 77(4) and (8) of the Electoral Act 2026, Shehu Buba was not eligible to be voted for at the PRP’s governorship primary election conducted on 25th May 2026.

“By virtue of Section 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026, the PRP cannot rely on any other membership register to establish Shehu Buba’s eligibility to participate in its governorship primary election where the register submitted to INEC within the statutory period does not contain his name. For that reason, Shehu Buba’s participation and emergence as flagbearer of the PRP governorship primary election conducted on 25th May 2026 contravened Sections 77(4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Electoral Act 2026.

“For that reason, Shehu Buba’s purported nomination as the governorship candidate of the PRP for Bauchi State in the 2027 general elections is unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.”

The party asked the court to direct INEC to forthwith remove the name of Shehu Buba from its final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election in Bauchi State published on 10th October 2026.

Briefing newsmen on the grounds upon which the summons was brought to court, the APM legal adviser explained that Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 prescribed a 21-day period before the date fixed for a party primary election, congress, or convention, within which a political party must make its membership register available to INEC.

“Section 77(8) provides that only members whose names are contained in the applicable register are eligible to vote and be voted for in party primaries, congresses and conventions. Section 77(6) prohibits a political party from using for its primary election, congress, or convention a different membership registers from the one submitted to INEC,” Tula stated.

“The PRP was required to submit its membership register on or before 10th May 2026, and the name of Shehu Buba was absent at the date of submission, because Shehu Buba remained a member of the APC as at 19th May 2026, after the PRP submitted its register.

“

This fact is relevant in determining his status and eligibility to participate in the PRP primary election conducted on 25th May 2026, but Shehu Buba participated and emerged as governorship candidate of the PRP on 25th May 2026 for the 2027 governorship election, notwithstanding the alleged absence of his name from the relevant membership register. INEC’s inclusion and retention of Shehu Buba’s name on the final list of governorship candidates is founded on a nomination made in contravention of the Electoral Act 2026.

Attempts to reach Senator Shehu Buba and the PRP for comment were unsuccessful as of press time. No hearing date has been fixed.