The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may be heading for a prolonged legal and political battle in Kano State after a group of aggrieved aspirants asked the Federal High Court to invalidate the party’s primary elections, a move that could disrupt its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
At the centre of the dispute are allegations that the process used to select the party’s candidates failed to comply with both the Electoral Act and the NDC’s internal regulations, raising questions about the legitimacy of candidates produced from the exercise.
The suit was instituted by five party members, including governorship aspirant Mukhtar Muhammad, alongside Shuaib Abubakar Fagge, Mustapha Salisu Musa (Fanandas), Musa Hudu Yusuf and Mahfuz Yahuza. The plaintiffs are challenging the primaries conducted on May 28, 2026, for the governorship, House of Representatives and Kano State House of Assembly positions.
According to court filings, the aspirants alleged that the distribution of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms was improperly handled, claiming that the process was delegated to an individual rather than being administered directly by the party as required by its rules and applicable laws.
They argued that the arrangement effectively determined who could participate in the primaries, thereby denying eligible members equal access to contest for party tickets.
Beyond the issue of nomination forms, the plaintiffs contended that the primaries themselves fell short of legal requirements. They claimed there was no transparent accreditation of delegates, voting process, vote counting or collation as stipulated under the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.
The aspirants further alleged that despite meeting eligibility requirements, they were excluded from contesting for various positions, including the governorship and legislative seats in Fagge, Tarauni and Gwale constituencies.
In their suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to nullify all primaries conducted by the party in Kano State on the disputed date and order fresh exercises to be conducted in compliance with the law.
They are also seeking orders restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or publishing the names of candidates produced through the contested primaries.
One of the reliefs sought includes the nullification of the Certificate of Return issued to Aminu Suleiman Goro as the party’s candidate for Fagge Federal Constituency, pending the conduct of a new primary election.
In addition to seeking fresh primaries, the lead plaintiff is demanding a refund of ₦2 million allegedly paid for nomination forms and ₦200 million in damages for what he described as wrongful exclusion from the process.
The case, filed by legal practitioner Moses Ademola Falana of Nayara Legal Consult, is expected to draw significant attention within political circles, as its outcome could influence not only the NDC’s candidate selection process in Kano but also broader debates about internal party democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.
