The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed August 27, 2026, for hearing in a suit filed by aggrieved members of the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging their alleged substitution as validly nominated candidates for the 2027 general election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter on Tuesday after counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ndarani-Mohammed, SAN, requested time to respond to a preliminary objection filed by the APC questioning the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
The judge directed all parties to file and exchange their processes before the next adjourned date.
Justice Ekwo also warned that any absence of counsel that results in a delay of proceedings would attract sanctions.
Matthew Burkaa, SAN, appeared for the APC, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was represented by Oluwole Olukunle.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, was instituted by Sesugh Kaaba and other aggrieved APC candidates against the party and INEC.
At the previous sitting, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending further proceedings.
Through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, the plaintiffs sought six interim reliefs.
Among the reliefs sought is an order restraining the APC from substituting candidates who were allegedly validly nominated through a June 29, 2026 correspondence to INEC or any subsequent communication pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order compelling the APC to transmit to INEC the names of candidates they claim were validly nominated during primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
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