ABUJA — Abubakar Malami, SAN, has recorded a major legal victory after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit challenging his emergence as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Hon. Justice M. G. Umar of Court 5, Federal High Court, Abuja, dismissed the suit filed by Hon. Abdulrazak Isa Iko against the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and three others in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1013/2026.
In a judgment that effectively brought the challenge to an end at the trial court, the Court held that the plaintiff failed to establish that he participated in the primary election which formed the basis of his complaint.
The Court consequently ruled that the plaintiff lacked the requisite locus standi to challenge either the conduct of the primary election or the processes leading to it.
Having resolved the threshold issue against the plaintiff, Justice Umar held that the action was devoid of merit and substance and accordingly dismissed the suit in its entirety.
The judgment is widely seen as a significant legal triumph for Malami, SAN, whose emergence as the ADC candidate had come under judicial scrutiny following the suit.
With the dismissal, Malami's candidacy remains intact, while the Court's decision reinforces the long-established legal principle that only a person with the requisite legal standing can competently challenge the conduct of a party primary.
The verdict is expected to strengthen confidence among Malami's supporters and the ADC faithful, who have consistently maintained that his emergence followed due process.
Political observers believe the judgment removes a major legal hurdle and allows Malami and his supporters to focus squarely on the political contest ahead, following the Court's affirmation that the challenge against his candidacy lacked the legal foundation required to succeed.
Abuja Network News
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