The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will on Monday hear a suit filed by an aggrieved aspirant, Engr. (Dr.) Yakubu Muhammed Kingsley, challenging the emergence of former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State as the presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) for the 2027 general elections.
The case, which is coming up for hearing for the first time on Monday, was fixed by Justice Mohammed Umar. Hearing notices to that effect had been issued and served on parties in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, filed by the plaintiff’s lawyer, D.A. Sulyman, with the PRP, Mr Duke, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
In an originating summons filed on June 10, the plaintiff wants the court to determine whether Duke was duly returned as the presidential candidate of the PRP in the May 25 primary election, whose result was declared on May 26, having not been a registered member of the party as at May 4, when the PRP’s membership register was submitted to INEC.
He also asked: “Whether overvoting in states like Bauchi, where the registered members of the 1st defendant in its membership database is 593 and the total votes cast was 760; in Gombe State, where the registered members were 348 and the votes cast was 1,431; and in Kwara State, where the registered members were 55 and the votes cast was 82, will not call for the nullification of the said primary election.”
He therefore sought a declaration that the former governor, not being a registered member of the PRP, cannot participate in the party’s primary election held on May 25, where he was declared winner on May 26.
He also sought a declaration that Duke ought not to have been cleared for the presidential primary contest, having not complied with the party’s guidelines requiring physical presence for screening at its national secretariat.
Kingsley therefore prayed the court for an order setting aside the results of the presidential election conducted in Bauchi, Gombe, and Kwara States on the ground of overvoting.
He also sought an order declaring him as the presidential candidate of the PRP, having complied with all party guidelines and being a registered member of the party.
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He further sought an order directing the commission not to recognise Duke as the PRP’s presidential flagbearer or to delete his name from its database as the party’s presidential candidate.
The plaintiff also sought an order directing the electoral umpire to recognise him as the PRP’s presidential candidate.
In the affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by Kingsley himself, the aggrieved aspirant said he is a registered member of the PRP with membership card number 2A8D8B20B2.
The plaintiff, who described himself as a politician, said he is from Auchi III Ward, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, but is presently in Abuja, FCT.
He averred that Duke was not a duly registered member of the PRP as at May 4, when the party’s membership register was submitted to INEC.
He said he validly purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and paid a total sum of N20 million to the party.
He stated that he duly completed all nomination requirements and was endorsed by the requisite number of registered members as required by the party’s guidelines.
He said he was duly screened and cleared by the party to contest the presidential primary election conducted on May 25.
According to him, “to my utmost surprise, the name of the 2nd defendant (Duke) appeared as an aspirant, despite the fact that he did not physically participate in the screening exercise together with other aspirants at the National Secretariat of the 1st defendant.”
Kingsley also challenged the electoral umpire to produce the membership register submitted on May 4, alleging that several objections and complaints were raised by party members concerning Duke’s eligibility.
He further alleged that the presidential primary election was characterised by widespread irregularities and manipulation.
According to him, in several states, the votes returned exceeded the total number of eligible registered members contained in the party register.
The aggrieved aspirant attached the result sheet of the presidential primary poll to support his allegation of overvoting.
