The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Bauchi challenging the eligibility of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.

The APM argues that Mohammed’s name was not included in the membership register submitted by the PRP to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the official deadline for the submission of registered party members.

Speaking to journalists in Bauchi, the Legal Adviser to the APM, Barrister Jidauna Tula Mbami, disclosed that the suit, marked FHC/BAU/CS/70/2026, was filed to seek a judicial interpretation of the electoral framework regarding Mohammed’s candidacy in the interest of justice and fairness.

According to Mbami, the suit seeks the enforcement of Sections 77(4), 77(5), and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026. The case names INEC, Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed, and the PRP as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively, following INEC’s publication of Mohammed’s name as the PRP deputy governorship candidate.

The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether INEC’s publication of Mohammed’s name on October 10, 2026, is lawful under the combined provisions of Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), as well as Sections 77(4), 77(5), and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The APM is asking the court to look into whether the publication of Mohammed’s name was valid given that his name was absent from the PRP membership register submitted to INEC.

The party further questions the legality of the publication on the grounds that Mohammed allegedly maintained his membership with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as of May 10, 2026, the date the PRP submitted its register to the electoral umpire.

Tula Mbami noted that the PRP submitted its membership register on May 10, 2026, and conducted its primary election on May 25, 2026. The APM contends that the PRP failed to comply with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates political parties to make their membership registers available to INEC at least 21 days before their primary elections, congresses, or conventions. In light of these cumulative breaches, the APM argues that the publication of Mohammed’s name is unlawful, illegal, null, void, and of no legal effect.

The APM is seeking several reliefs from the court, including: A declaration that the publication of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed’s name as the PRP running mate is unlawful under Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

A declaration that the publication violates Sections 77(4), 77(5), and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026 because his name was missing from the PRP membership register submitted on May 10, 2026.

A declaration that the publication is invalid due to Mohammed’s continued membership in the APC at the time the PRP submitted its register.

A declaration that the publication is void due to the PRP’s failure to comply with the statutory 21-day timeline between register submission and its primary election.

The plaintiff’s counsel, Luka Musa Haruna, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is seeking a mandatory order directing INEC to immediately remove or strike out Mohammed’s name as the PRP deputy governorship candidate from the final list of candidates published on October 10, 2026. This legal action comes one week after the APM filed a separate suit challenging the eligibility of the PRP governorship candidate, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, to contest the 2027 Bauchi State gubernatorial election. Senator Buba’s legal team has maintained that his candidacy is fully lawful and compliant with all regulations