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A Nigerian High Court will on Monday begin hearing a suit filed by Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential aspirant Yakubu Kingsley, who is seeking to overturn the nomination of former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Justice Mohammed Umar fixed the matter for hearing, with notices already issued and served on the parties.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, Kingsley named the PRP, Duke, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants. The action was instituted by his counsel, D.A. Sulyman.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether Duke was validly nominated at the party’s presidential primary on May 25, which was announced the following day, given his claim that the former governor was not listed as a registered member of the party when the party’s membership register was submitted to INEC on May 4.
Kingsley also questioned the validity of the primary election results, alleging that vote totals in some states exceeded the number of registered party members contained in the PRP database.
He cited Bauchi State, where he claimed 760 votes were recorded despite the party having 593 registered members. Similar allegations were made in respect of Gombe State, where he said 1,431 votes were cast against a membership figure of 348, and Kwara State, where 82 votes were recorded although only 55 members were registered.
Among the reliefs sought, Kingsley asks the court to declare Duke ineligible to participate in the primary election on the ground that he was not a registered member of the party. He further contends that Duke should not have been cleared to contest because he allegedly failed to appear in person for screening at the party’s national headquarters, as required by party guidelines.
The aspirant also seeks to have the primary election results from Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara states invalidated over alleged incidents of over-voting.
In addition, he seeks a declaration recognising him as the PRP’s lawful presidential candidate, arguing that he fulfilled all conditions stipulated by the party and was a duly registered member.
He further requests an order restraining INEC from recognising Duke as the party’s presidential candidate and directing the electoral commission to recognise him instead.
In an affidavit accompanying the suit, Kingsley identifies himself as a registered member of the PRP and states that he holds membership card number 2A8D8B20B2.
The aspirant, who describes himself as a politician from Auchi III Ward in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State and is currently resident in Abuja, maintains that Duke was not a registered member of the party when the membership register was submitted to INEC.
He said he purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the presidential race for N20 million and met all nomination requirements, including securing endorsements from the required number of party members.
In his affidavit, Kingsley said: “That I physically attended the presidential screening exercise conducted by the party between 15th and 19th May, 2026 at the National Secretariat of the 1st defendant in Abuja as stipulated in the Aspirants Checklist for Screening, a copy of which is herewith attached and marked as Exhibit ‘BB.’”
According to him, he passed the screening process and was cleared to contest the primary election.
Kingsley further alleged that Duke’s name appeared on the ballot despite not participating in the screening exercise alongside other aspirants at the party’s headquarters.
He argued that this contravened INEC regulations requiring political parties to submit the names of their registered members at least 21 days before conducting primary elections.
The plaintiff also challenged INEC to produce the membership register submitted by the party on May 4 and claimed that concerns about Duke’s eligibility had been raised by party members before the primary.
He alleged that the election process was marred by irregularities and manipulation, insisting that vote figures in some states exceeded the number of eligible members.
