Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The crisis rocking the Action Democratic Party has taken a legal dimension, as one of its presidential aspirants, Dr Johnson Chukwuka, has dragged the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the emergence of Abbas-Bin Aliyu as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election. In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1853/2026, Chukwuka is asking the court to declare that the ADP did not conduct a valid presidential primary on May 29 and 30, 2026. He also challenges what he described as the “purported declaration” of Aliyu as the primary winner and the subsequent submission of his name to INEC as the party’s presidential candidate, which was published on INEC’s notice board on August 1.
Chukwuka is seeking an order voiding the purported results and a declaration that he is the duly elected ADP presidential candidate from the primaries held on May 29 and 30. He contends that the disputed process violated Sections 29, 77, 84, 86 and 88 of the Electoral Act 2026, as well as the party’s guidelines for the conduct of its primaries. The plaintiff said the submission of Aliyu’s name was “wrongful, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void”.
The suit has added to the dispute surrounding the ADP’s presidential ticket, with the party itself petitioning the Inspector-General of Police over an alleged unauthorised upload of a presidential nomination form to the INEC portal. In a letter dated August 31, 2026, the party had alleged that the nomination form was prepared and uploaded by Fatima Mustapha, a former staff member and former INEC liaison officer whose authority to handle candidate-upload matters had allegedly been withdrawn. The ADP described the alleged action as unauthorised and raised concerns about possible electoral offences, cybercrime and the presentation of an unauthorised document as an official party nomination. The party also wrote to the INEC Chairman, requesting the preservation of the electronic audit trail, login records and IP addresses connected to the disputed upload, as well as an investigation into the transaction. In a separate memorandum dated September 2, the party’s National Chairman reportedly asked the presidential candidate to provide a written explanation of any knowledge or involvement in the disputed upload. Chukwuka’s legal team, however, believed that the developments reinforced its position that the process that produced Aliyu as the party’s candidate was flawed.
Aliyu emerged as the ADP presidential candidate at the party’s National Convention held at the women’s centre in Abuja in the early hours of Saturday, May 30, 2026. A former political aide to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and founder of the National Youth Alliance, Aliyu’s emergence was ratified through a consensus arrangement at the party’s 2026 National Convention, with delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory endorsing his candidacy after extensive consultations among party leaders, aspirants and stakeholders. His emergence comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections and has fueled speculation within opposition circles over the strategic calculations behind the ADP’s early presidential nomination. Some political observers have suggested that the ADP may be positioning itself as an alternative platform for opposition forces should legal disputes surrounding the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress affect the party’s ability to present candidates in the next general election. However, the ADP dismissed the claims, insisting there was no basis for suggestions that Aliyu would surrender the party’s ticket to Atiku.
The ADP has also faced internal turmoil over alleged attempts to alter its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election. In August 2026, Aliyu raised the alarm over alleged moves to substitute his name, insisting that the process that produced him as the party’s candidate was in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s recognised processes. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Sani Dawop, described reports of a placeholder arrangement as unfounded, saying, “I don’t know anything about that. I’m sure this is beer-parlour rumours”.
INEC had on September 12, 2026, published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 general elections, listing Aliyu Abbas-Bin as the ADP presidential candidate and Chinazam Ike as his running mate. The commission cleared 18 presidential candidates for the election. The final list also included President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, and other candidates from various political parties.
Chukwuka’s suit is seeking judicial intervention to determine the validity of the ADP’s presidential nomination process ahead of the 2027 election. The case adds to a growing list of pre-election disputes over party primaries and candidate nominations across Nigeria’s political landscape. The Federal High Court has become the arena for resolving these disputes, with several parties and aspirants seeking judicial intervention to correct what they describe as breaches of the Electoral Act and party guidelines. The ADP has not yet issued an official response to the lawsuit. INEC has also not commented on the specific allegations raised by Chukwuka, though the commission has consistently maintained that it will adhere to the rule of law in all matters relating to candidate nominations. As the 2027 general elections approach, the outcome of the suit will determine whether Aliyu remains the ADP’s presidential candidate or whether Chukwuka’s challenge succeeds in altering the party’s ticket. The case is expected to be heard in the coming weeks.
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