The Federal High Court sitting in Minna, Niger State, has reserved judgment in a pre-election suit challenging the nomination of Prof. Mohammed Yakubu Auna as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Magama-Rijau Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections.
The suit, filed by Hon. Shehu Samaila Auna, followed the APC primary election conducted on May 16, 2026, for the constituency.
Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Dan-Ige reserved judgment after counsel to the parties adopted their respective processes and made their final submissions during Thursday’s resumed hearing.
Counsel to the first defendant, Philips Friday Omachi Adah, urged the court to dismiss the suit, argued in a preliminary objection and motion on notice that the case lacked merit.
However, counsel to the plaintiff, Abubakar Sadiq Danjuma, urged the court to discountenance the preliminary objection and the motion on notice filed by the first defendant.
After listening to the submissions of both sides, Justice Dan-Ige closed the case and stated that a date for judgment would be communicated to the parties through their respective counsel.
In the suit, marked FHC/MN/CS/54/2026, Hon. Shehu Samaila Auna, through his counsel, is challenging the validity of the nomination of Prof. Mohammed Yakubu Auna in the APC primary election held on May 16, 2026.
The plaintiff alleged that the primary election was not conducted in several polling units across the Magama-Rijau Federal Constituency, claiming that results were instead written and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiff is an order nullifying the purported APC primary election conducted in the constituency on May 16, 2026.
He is also asking the court to order the conduct of a fresh primary election for the Magama-Rijau Federal Constituency.
The APC, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu Auna and INEC are joined as defendants in the suit.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter for judgment, with the date to be communicated to the parties.
