Court orders Taraba ADC, INEC to recognise Madaki as state constituency candidate

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State, has declared Umar Suleiman Madaki as the lawful candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Jalingo I state constituency ahead of the forthcoming election.

Justice Mashkur Salisu delivered the judgment on Wednesday in Suit No. FHC/CS/23/2026, resolving a dispute that arose from the party’s primary election.

Madaki had approached the court after alleging that, although he emerged winner of the ADC primary election, he was denied the party’s ticket. He sued the party’s declared candidate, Shamsuddeen Inuwa Muhammad, the ADC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In his ruling, Justice Salisu declared the nomination of Shamsuddeen Inuwa Muhammad “unlawful, unconstitutional, and of no legal effect,” holding that only a candidate who emerged through a lawful primary election is entitled to recognition by the electoral body.

The court consequently declared Madaki the winner of the ADC primary election for Jalingo I state constituency and affirmed him as the party’s substantive candidate for the election.

The court also ordered INEC to immediately recognise and publish Madaki’s name as the duly nominated ADC candidate. In addition, it directed the ADC to forward his name to the electoral commission as its authentic candidate for the constituency.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Milkman Karel, described the verdict as a victory for due process, internal party democracy and the rule of law.

He said the judgment reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that political parties adhere to their constitutions and the provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of primary elections.