By Uthman Baba-Naseer, Minna
Former Minister of Sports, Barrister Abdulrahman Gimba, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Minna challenging the outcome of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary election that produced Rt. Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie as the party’s candidate for the Niger South Senatorial District.
In the suit, FHC/MN/CS/55/2026, Gimba is asking the court to nullify the primary election, alleging that the exercise was not conducted in several local government areas and wards across the senatorial district.
The defendants in the suit are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), listed as the first defendant, Rt. Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie, the second defendant, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the third defendant.
Represented by his counsel, Mohammed Gimba, alongside three other lawyers, the plaintiff argued that the declared primary election lacked credibility because voting did not take place in parts of the constituency as claimed by the second defendant.
Gimba also contended that Baba Shehu Agaie was ineligible to contest the primary, alleging that he was still occupying a leadership position within the ADC at the time of the election, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2025.
When the matter came up for hearing, counsel to the second defendant, Abdulrahman Siraj, sought an adjournment on the grounds that some of the defendants had yet to file their responses.
Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Barau subsequently adjourned the case to July 22 and 23, 2026, directing the first defendant to serve the plaintiff with its statement of defence while granting the plaintiff time to respond before the commencement of hearing.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Siraj confirmed that the plaintiff was challenging the conduct of the primary election and the eligibility of the second defendant.
He said the defence had filed the necessary processes on behalf of Baba Shehu Agaie, adding that the adjournment was necessitated by the failure of some defendants to file their statements of defence.
According to him, “The plaintiff is contending that the election was not conducted in certain wards and local government areas. He also argues that the second defendant was not qualified to contest because he was still the leader of the party and had not resigned before participating in the primary.”
He expressed confidence that the matter would proceed to hearing after all parties had exchanged the necessary court processes.
Also speaking, counsel to the first defendant, Jibril Musa Kallamu, described the dispute as an internal party matter that could be resolved without prolonged litigation.
He disclosed that while the matter was before the court, efforts were ongoing to achieve an amicable settlement within the ADC before the next adjourned date.
