COURT CLEARS KWARA APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE, AWARDS ₦10M COST AGAINST CLAIMANT:
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a case seeking to stop Yakubu Danladi Salihu, the APC governorship candidate in Kwara State, from contesting the 2027 election.
The case, FHC/ABJ/CS/1112/2026, was filed by Citizen Awareness Against Corruption & Social Vices Initiative against the APC, Salihu and INEC.
In his judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the organisation that filed the case did not have the legal right to bring the challenge. The judge also held that the allegations against Salihu were not supported by sufficient evidence.
The claimant had alleged that Salihu participated in both the APC House of Assembly and governorship primaries and argued that his nomination should therefore be cancelled.
However, the court clarified that taking part in more than one primary conducted by the same political party does not automatically amount to “double nomination.” According to the judgment, what matters is the candidate whose name the party eventually submits to INEC.
The court further stressed that claims in election-related cases must be backed by credible evidence, not speculation.
Justice Nwite consequently dismissed the suit and awarded ₦10 million in costs against the claimant.
The ruling leaves Salihu’s APC governorship candidacy unaffected by the case, subject to any further legal proceedings that may arise.





