Court Throws Out Challenge to Duke's Candidacy for PRP Presidency

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday threw out a case questioning former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke’s position as the 2027 presidential candidate for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

Judge Mohammed Umar, in his ruling, stated that the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, was filed by Yakubu Kingsley, a disappointed PRP presidential aspirant, and was statute-barred.

The judge dismissed the case after agreeing with the preliminary objections raised by Duke and the party about the case's validity.

He said the case, being a pre-election matter, was filed against the rules of Section 285(9) of the constitution. The suit was filed on 10 June, 16 days after the results of the PRP’s presidential primary held on 25 May were announced.

The judge disagreed with Mr Kingsley’s claim that the 14-day limit for filing pre-election suits should start from 6 June when the party’s appeal committee wrote to communicate its decision rejecting his appeal.

He said the court did not have the right to hear the case because it was statute-barred.

But Mr Umar also looked at the case on its own merits and dismissed it because the plaintiff did not prove his case.

He criticized the plaintiff’s argument that Mr Duke, who was Cross River governor from 1999 to 2007, was not validly returned as PRP’s presidential candidate in the 25 May primary. Mr Kingsley claimed Duke was not a registered member of the party when the PRP submitted its membership list to INEC on 4 May.

The judge explained that membership issues within a political party are internal matters and the court does not have the power to rule on them.

He also rejected the plaintiff’s claim that Mr Duke did not follow the party’s guidelines, was not qualified to take part in the primary election, and should not have been allowed to contest since he allegedly did not appear for screening at the party’s national secretariat.

While Mr Kingsley mentioned the PRP’s guidelines that he said Mr Duke broke, he did not present the document to the court as needed.

Mr Umar dismissed Mr Kingsley’s claim of over-voting during the primary election in Bauchi, Kwara, and Gombe states, saying he did not provide enough evidence to support his claim.

Mr Kingsley had filed the case asking the court to confirm if Mr Duke was validly returned as the party’s presidential candidate in the 25 May primary election, claiming he was not a registered member of the PRP when the party submitted its membership list to INEC on 4 May.

He wanted the court to declare that Mr Duke was not qualified to take part in the primary election and should not have been allowed to contest, since he allegedly did not appear for screening at the party’s national secretariat.

The plaintiff also asked the court to cancel the results from Bauchi, Gombe, and Kwara states due to alleged over-voting and declare him the PRP presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

He further requested an order for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize Duke as the party’s presidential candidate and instead recognize him as the PRP’s candidate.