Court Dismisses Maihaja’s Suit, Affirms Wali as Yobe APC Governorship Candidate

​DAMATURU / ABUJA — The Federal High Court, Damaturu Judicial Division, sitting in Abuja, has delivered a definitive judgment dismissing a pre-election suit filed by Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, which sought to challenge the nomination of Baba Mallam Wali as the standard-bearer and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State.

​According to an official statement signed by the Federal High Court Press Secretary, Shuaibu Abdullahi, the presiding court thoroughly dismantled the plaintiff’s case on both procedural and substantive grounds, cementing a major legal victory for the APC candidate ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle.

​Key Grounds for Dismissal

​The court’s comprehensive ruling anchored its dismissal on several critical legal pillars:

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• ​Statute-Barred Action: The court upheld the preliminary objection raised by the defense, ruling that Maihaja’s suit was fundamentally defective because it was instituted outside the time frame constitutionally mandated for pre-election matters.
• ​Failure on Substantive Merits: Beyond the preliminary objection, the judiciary scrutinized the core allegations of over-voting brought forward by the plaintiff. The court concluded that Maihaja failed entirely to establish his claims with valid proof, noting that the action would have failed on its merits regardless of timeline constraints.
• ​Unreliable Testimony: The bench highlighted severe material contradictions and inconsistencies within the testimonies presented by the plaintiff’s witnesses. The court ruled that their evidence was thoroughly unreliable and legally insufficient to sustain any of the allegations.

​Judicial Implications and Background

​Legal analysts view the judgment as a critical judicial reinforcement of the sanctity of internal party primaries. It underscores the bedrock electoral principle that grave allegations concerning party nominations and electoral malpractices must be backed by cogent, credible, and verifiable evidence rather than speculative assertions.

​Baba Mallam Wali, a prominent figure and former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), emerged following intense political alignments within the Yobe State chapter of the APC. This latest ruling clears a major legal hurdle for his candidacy, reinforcing his mandate as the recognized flagbearer of the ruling party in the state.

​With this verdict, the judiciary has further signaled a strict stance against untimely election litigations and unverified claims, providing political stability for the party’s campaign structure in Yobe State.