The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its judgement on a case challenging the emergence of former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the 2027 general election.
Justice Mohammed Umar set November 2 as the new date for judgement on Tuesday after lawyers representing the plaintiff, Duke, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adopted their written arguments before the court.
The suit was filed by another PRP presidential aspirant, Yakubu Kingsley, who is contesting Duke’s nomination as the party’s flagbearer.
Kingsley listed the PRP, Donald Duke, and INEC as the first, second, and third defendants in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026.
In his originating summons filed on June 10, the plaintiff asked the court to determine whether Duke was validly elected as PRP’s presidential candidate during the party’s primary election held on May 25, considering that he allegedly was not a registered member of the party when its membership register was submitted to INEC on May 4.
Kingsley also challenged the results of the primary election in Bauchi, Gombe, and Kwara states, alleging that overvoting occurred during the exercise.
He urged the court to declare that Duke was not qualified to contest the primary election because he was not a registered party member and failed to comply with the party’s screening requirements.
The aspirant further requested that the court nullify Duke’s emergence as PRP candidate, order INEC to remove his name from its records, and recognise him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
In an affidavit supporting his claims, Kingsley stated that he is a registered PRP member with membership number 2A8D8B20B2 and had purchased the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms after paying N20 million.
He maintained that he met all the requirements set by the party and should have been declared its candidate.
However, Duke and the PRP opposed the suit, arguing through their lawyer, Noah Abdul, that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
They argued that the case was a pre-election dispute and should have been filed within 14 days of the event being challenged, as required by the 1999 Constitution.
Abdul said the cause of action arose on May 26, when the PRP announced the result of its presidential primary, but that Kingsley filed the suit on June 11, 17 days later.
He therefore argued that the case was filed outside the legally prescribed period and had become statute-barred.
The lawyer also contended that issues concerning membership of a political party are internal affairs of the party and cannot be determined by the court.
INEC, in its response, told the court that it only monitors political party primaries and does not participate in the accreditation of delegates, voting, vote collation, or declaration of winners.
The commission said the conduct of the PRP primary election was solely handled by the party’s officials, adding that it could only recognise a candidate whose name is validly submitted by a political party in line with the Electoral Act.
INEC maintained that it has no interest in who emerges as the PRP candidate and would remain neutral until a competent court issues any order affecting the nomination process.