Court orders APC on Plateau assembly election candidate

The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) to submit Ayuba Mandung’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for Jos South State Constituency.

The court, presided over by Dorcas Agishi, also restrained the APC and other defendants from presenting Mancha Vincent as the party’s candidate for the constituency.

The judgement followed a suit filed by Mr Mandung alleging alteration of the results of the APC primary election conducted on 20 May.

Mr Mandung alleged that the results announced at the ward level in Giring Ward were altered in favour of Mr Vincent.

Represented by Ritji Yilwatda of Gyang Zi & Co., Mr Mandung asked the court to recognise him as the winner of the primary after securing the highest number of votes in the results announced at the ward level.

In its judgement, the court held that the results could not lawfully be altered after their announcement at the ward level. It also found that Mr Mandung had not been accorded a fair hearing.

Consequently, the court issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from presenting Mr Vincent as the APC’s candidate.

It further ordered the defendants to comply with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines governing the nomination of candidates for elections.

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In addition, the court issued a mandatory order compelling the APC to submit Mr Mandung’s name to INEC as its duly nominated candidate for the 2027 election.

The court also awarded ₦500,000 in costs against each of the three defendants — Mr Vincent, the APC and INEC.

The suit, marked FHC/J/CS/43/2026, arose from the dispute over the party’s primary election for the constituency.

Before determining the substantive issues, the court dismissed the preliminary objections raised by counsel to the defendants and proceeded to rule in Mr Mandung’s favour.