Victory for Democracy as Court Dismisses Adamu Aliyu’s Suit Against Abdulkadir Hassan
By Peter Azi – Jos
The legal battle over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Jos North-North State Constituency in Plateau State has taken a new turn, following a reported judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissing a suit filed by the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Adamu Aliyu, challenging the emergence of Hon. Abdulkadir Hassan as the party’s candidate.
Hassan, popularly known as S.L.A. among his supporters and associates, emerged as the subject of the legal dispute following the APC nomination process for the 2027 Plateau State House of Assembly election.
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The matter, filed under Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1618/2026, was instituted by Aliyu, who challenged the nomination of Hassan and sought, among other reliefs, an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising, accepting or acting on any nomination, screening, clearance, listing or publication of Hassan as the APC candidate for the constituency.
According to the statement announcing the development, the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, dismissed the suit on grounds relating to its competence and limitation.
The court was reported to have held that the action was statute-barred, having not been instituted within the stipulated 14-day period for challenging the relevant pre-election event.
The judgment, according to the statement, also addressed the issue of Aliyu’s clearance to participate in the disputed party primary, with the court reportedly holding that he was not cleared by the APC to contest the election.
The dispute has attracted considerable attention because earlier proceedings in the same suit had resulted in an interim order directing the parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the substantive matter. Reports at the time said the court had restrained Hassan from parading himself as the APC candidate pending further proceedings.
The substantive case was subsequently argued by the parties, with the court reserving judgment after counsel adopted their respective processes.
The latest claim of dismissal therefore represents a significant development in the prolonged legal dispute over the APC ticket.
However, the circumstances surrounding the party primary have themselves been contested. In September, INEC was reported to have told the court that its monitoring report indicated that Adamu Aliyu won the May 20, 2026 APC primary with 13,066 votes, while Abdulkadir Hassan was reported to have scored 182 votes in that primary.
The statement celebrating Hassan’s reported court victory nevertheless described the judgment as a victory for democracy and the rule of law, maintaining that it has cleared the way for his candidacy.
It also referred to previous allegations and investigations involving Aliyu. Those allegations should, however, be distinguished from established findings of guilt.
In September 2025, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigated allegations against Aliyu following a petition concerning an alleged ₦850 million TETFund contract at the University of Jos. A Federal High Court had also declared him wanted at the request of the ICPC before he subsequently surrendered to the commission.
The allegations have been denied or remain subject to due process, and they do not by themselves establish criminal liability.
The reported dismissal of Aliyu’s suit, if reflected in the court’s enrolled judgment, would bring an important phase of the legal contest over the Jos North-North APC ticket to a close, while potentially leaving the political parties and electoral authorities to proceed in accordance with the court’s pronouncement and applicable electoral laws.
For supporters of Abdulkadir Hassan, the development is being viewed as a major legal vindication and an opportunity for the APC to move forward with its preparations for the 2027 election in Jos North-North Constituency.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 4th, 2026
