The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the emergence of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate for Kebbi State.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice M. G. Umar ruled that the plaintiff, Abdulrazak Isa Iko, failed to establish that he participated in the party’s primary election and therefore lacked the legal standing to challenge its outcome.
The court held that the plaintiff did not meet the legal requirements to institute the action and consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety.
Justice Umar said that, having resolved the issue of legal standing against the plaintiff, the case lacked merit and could not succeed.
The judgment removes a major legal hurdle facing Malami’s candidacy, allowing the ADC governorship candidate to continue preparations for the 2027 election without the pending court challenge.
The ruling also reinforces the established legal principle that only individuals with the requisite legal standing, particularly those who participated in a party’s primary election, can challenge the conduct or outcome of such primaries before the court.
