By Prevail Inegbenose
The crisis rocking the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has taken a legal dimension as one of its presidential aspirants, Dr Johnson Emmanuel Chukwuka, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the emergence of Abbas-Bin Aliyu as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
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Chukwuka, through Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1853/2026, is contesting the validity of the presidential primary reportedly held on May 29 and 30, 2026, which produced Aliyu as the party’s candidate.
In the suit, the plaintiff is asking the court to declare the primary invalid and nullify the outcome that purportedly returned Aliyu as the winner.
He is also seeking an order declaring him the duly elected presidential candidate of the ADP based on the May 29 and 30 primary exercise.
Chukwuka further wants the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Aliyu’s name from its notice board and recognise him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
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The plaintiff argues that the nomination process violated Sections 29, 77, 84, 86 and 88 of the Electoral Act 2026, as well as provisions of the ADP guidelines governing its presidential primary.
The dispute has been further complicated by a separate complaint reportedly lodged by the ADP with the Inspector-General of Police over an alleged unauthorised upload of a presidential nomination form on the INEC portal.
According to the party, the disputed form was allegedly prepared and uploaded by Fatima Mustapha, a former staff member and former INEC liaison officer whose authority to handle candidate-upload matters had earlier been withdrawn.
The party has also written to the INEC Chairman, requesting that electronic audit trails, login records and IP addresses connected to the disputed upload be preserved as part of an investigation.
An internal memorandum dated September 2, 2026, reportedly asked Aliyu to clarify whether he had any knowledge of or involvement in the disputed transaction.
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Chukwuka’s legal team has argued that the developments raise additional questions about the process through which Aliyu’s nomination was submitted, maintaining that the party’s candidate must emerge in compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the ADP’s internal guidelines.
The Federal High Court is expected to determine the issues raised in the suit, including the validity of the disputed primary and the nomination of Aliyu as the ADP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.