A federal high court has dismissed a legal challenge to Abubakar Malami, SAN's emergence as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate in Kebbi State. Justice M. G. Umar delivered the judgment on Tuesday, ruling that the plaintiff, Abdulrazak Isa Iko, failed to prove he took part in the party's primary election. Without evidence of participation, the court held he lacked the legal standing to challenge the process. The suit was dismissed in its entirety, clearing a major legal hurdle for Malami's candidacy.
The court's decision rests on the principle that only individuals with legal standing—typically those directly affected or involved in an election process—can bring such challenges. Justice Umar found the plaintiff's claims lacked merit and substance, effectively ending the case. With the ruling, Malami remains the ADC's candidate for the 2027 governorship race in Kebbi State. The judgment allows him to proceed without this particular legal impediment, focusing instead on the broader political campaign ahead.
The court dismissed the case solely because the plaintiff could not prove participation in the primary, not because the primary process was validated. A legal challenge to a candidate's emergence failed on technical grounds, leaving questions about internal party democracy unaddressed. This sets a precedent where procedural standing may outweigh scrutiny of nomination fairness.
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