The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Monday adjourned a suit seeking to void the emergence of former Governor Donald Duke of Cross Rivers as presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) until June 29.

Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned the case after counsel to the plaintiff, Abdullahi Muhammad, prayed for an adjournment to enable them to move a motion for substituted service of court processes on Mr Duke.

When the case, which had come up for the first time before Justice Umar, was called, only Mr Muhammad, the plaintiff’s lawyer, was in court.

The lawyer then told the court that although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was duly served with the originating summons, it had been unable to serve the ex-governor.

“We, therefore, pray my lord for a short adjournment in order to move a motion for a substituted service on the second defendant (Duke),” he said.
Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until June 29 for mention and to move a motion for substituted service of court processes on Mr Duke.

A PRP’s presidential aspirant, Dr Yakubu Kingsley, had sued the party, the former governor and INEC as first to third defendants, respectively.
Mr Kingsley, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026 and filed by D.A. Sulyman, sought three questions for determination in the originating summons filed on June 10.

The plaintiff wants the court to determine whether Mr Duke was duly returned as the presidential candidate of the PRP in the May 25 primary election, in which its results were declared on May 26, having not been a registered member of the party as at May 4, when the PRP’s membership register was submitted to INEC.

He alleged over-voting in states like Bauchi, where the registered members of the first defendant in its membership database are 593, and the total votes cast were 760.

In Gombe State, he alleged that the registered members were 348 and the votes cast were 1,431; in Kwara State, the registered members were 55, and the votes cast were 82, which does not call for the nullification of the said primary election.

He, therefore, sought a declaration that the ex-governor, not being a registered member of the PRP, cannot participate in the party’s primary election held on May 25, where he was declared the winner on May 26.

He sought a declaration that Mr Duke ought not to have been cleared for the presidential primary election contest, having failed to comply with the party’s guidelines requiring physical presence for screening at its national secretariat.

Mr Kingsley, therefore, prayed the court for an order setting aside the results of the presidential election conducted in Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara states, respectively, on the ground of overvoting.

He sought an order declaring him as the presidential candidate of the PRP for the 2027 general elections, having complied with all the party’s guidelines and been a registered member of the party.

He also sought an order directing the commission not to recognise Mr Duke as the PRP’s presidential flagbearer or to delete his name from its database as the presidential candidate of the party.

The plaintiff further sought an order directing the electoral umpire to recognise him as the PRP’s presidential candidate.

In the affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to by Mr Kingsley himself, the aggrieved aspirant stated that he is a registered member of the PRP with membership card number 2A8D8B20B2.

The plaintiff, who described himself as a “politician,” said he is of Auchi III Ward, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, but presently in Abuja.

He averred on oath that Mr Duke was not a duly registered member of the PRP as at May 4, when the membership register of the party was submitted to INEC.

He said he validly purchased the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and paid a total sum of N20 million to the party.

He stated that he duly completed all nomination requirements and was endorsed by the requisite number of registered members as required by the party’s guidelines.

“That I physically attended the presidential screening exercise conducted by the party between 15th and 19th May, 2026, at the National Secretariat of the first defendant in Abuja as stipulated in the Aspirants Checklist for Screening, a copy of which is herewith attached and marked as Exhibit ‘BB’,” he said.

He said he was duly screened and cleared by the party to contest the presidential primary election conducted on May 25.

According to him, to his utmost surprise, the name of the second defendant (Duke) appeared as an aspirant despite the fact that he did not physically participate in the screening exercise together with other aspirants at the national secretariat of the first defendant.

He said this was against INEC’s extant regulations and guidelines, mandating political parties to submit the names of their registered members at least 21 days before the conduct of the party’s primary.
Mr Kingsley, there, challenged the electoral umpire to produce its membership register submitted to it as of May 4.

He alleged that several objections and complaints were raised by the party’s members concerning the eligibility of Mr Duke.

Besides, the aggrieved aspirant alleged that the presidential primary election was characterised by widespread irregularities and manipulation.
According to him, in several states, the votes returned exceeded the total number of eligible registered members contained in the party register.

The aggrieved aspirant attached the result sheet of the presidential primary poll to prove his allegation of overvoting.

He also alleged that his agents and representatives reported instances where they were denied effective participation in the collation process.
“That I verily believe that the purported result declared in favour of the second defendant does not represent the lawful votes cast by eligible members of the party.

“That, when unlawful and inflated votes are excluded, I emerge as the aspirant who secured the highest lawful votes in the presidential primary election.

“That I depose to this affidavit in good faith, believing the contents to be true and correct in accordance with the Oaths Act,” he said.

(NAN)