Abubakar Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for the 2027 Kebbi State election, has retained his candidacy after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit challenging his emergence.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice M. G. Umar ruled that the plaintiff, Abdulrazak Isa Iko, lacked the legal standing to institute the action because he failed to prove that he participated in the party’s governorship primary election.
The judge held that without establishing participation in the primary, the plaintiff could not validly challenge the process that produced Malami as the ADC candidate.
Justice Umar consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety, describing it as lacking merit and substance after resolving the issue of locus standi against the plaintiff.
The judgment removes a significant legal hurdle for Malami ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Kebbi State, allowing him to continue his campaign without the pending court challenge.
The court also reaffirmed the established legal principle that only individuals with the requisite legal standing can challenge the conduct or outcome of a political party’s primary election.
