2027: Court Strikes Out ADC, Senatorial Candidate’s Defence in Eligibility Suit.
A Federal High Court sitting in Minna, Niger State, has struck out the Statement of Defence filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its Niger South Senatorial candidate, Alhaji Baba Shehu Agaie, in an ongoing legal battle over the candidate’s eligibility for the 2027 general elections.
Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Barau Sa’idu, issued the ruling after finding that the defence was filed outside the strict 10-day period mandated by the court’s Practice Direction.
Justice Sa’idu held that because the court’s rules do not provide for an extension of time beyond the stipulated timeframe, the defendants’ late filing could not be accommodated, leaving the Statement of Defence legally invalid.
The suit was instituted by former Minister of Sports, Abdulrahman Hassan Gimba, who is challenging Agaie’s nomination as the party’s official candidate for the district.
In his petition, Gimba contends that the ADC’s Niger State chapter failed to conduct a valid primary election across the wards and local government areas of Niger South before declaring Shehu Agaie as its candidate. Based on these procedural defects, the plaintiff is asking the court to invalidate Agaie’s candidacy.
With the defence struck out, the court will proceed to evaluate the substantive case without a formal rebuttal on record from the ADC or its candidate, placing Agaie’s nomination for the Niger South Senatorial District seat in serious jeopardy.
