Court orders APC to conduct fresh primaries in 10 Plateau wards

The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct fresh primary elections in 10 wards of the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency following a challenge to the process that produced Dachung Bagos as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Dorcas Agishi gave the order on Friday in a suit filed by Esther Danboyi against Mr Bagos, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court also awarded ₦1.5 million in costs against the three defendants, directing each to pay ₦500,000 to Ms Danboyi.

The suit, marked FHC/J/CS/42/2026, challenged the validity of the APC primary over alleged non-compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines for conducting primary elections.

According to Ms Danboyi’s lawyer, Ritji Yilwatda of Gyang Zi & Co., the court found that the required elections had not been conducted in the 10 wards challenged by his client.

He said the court consequently ordered that the affected elections be conducted within 30 days.

The affected wards are Du, Shen, Zawan ‘B’, Fobur ‘A’, Fobur ‘B’, Jarawan Kogi, Mai Juju/Doss, Federe, Shere East and Shere West.

Mr Yilwatda said his client had also complained that the APC denied her a fair hearing after she submitted petitions to the party and its Primary Election Appeal Committee over the disputed exercise.

He added that the court dismissed the preliminary objections and counter-affidavits filed by the defendants.

Dispute over APC primary

The lawsuit followed complaints by Ms Danboyi over the conduct of the APC primary that produced Mr Bagos as the party’s candidate for the federal constituency.

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She challenged the process, alleging that the party failed to conduct valid elections in the affected wards and did not adequately address her petitions.

She asked the court to set aside the disputed results and compel the APC to conduct and conclude elections in wards where she alleged the exercise had not taken place.

The court’s reported findings on the 10 wards led to the order for fresh elections within 30 days.

The ruling introduces a new legal and political development in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections in Jos South and Jos East.