The Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, has granted an order for substituted service on the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Bawa. The ruling came after the chairman allegedly failed to accept court documents in a case challenging the outcome of the party's recent state chairmanship primary.
Background of the Dispute
One of the aspirants in the primary election, Alhaji Abdulhadi Lau, approached the court accusing the party leadership and its chairman of irregularities. Lau claimed that the process did not provide a level playing field for all contestants, prompting him to seek judicial intervention.
Court Proceedings
Speaking to journalists after the court session, counsel to the plaintiff, Pius D. Pius, explained that the matter was initially scheduled for hearing but could not proceed due to difficulties in serving the defendant. “The case was supposed to come up today, but we discovered that the APC chairman had not been served with the court processes. We therefore applied for substituted service, and the court has granted an order permitting the originating processes to be pasted at the APC secretariat,” he said.
Pius added that repeated attempts to personally serve the chairman had been unsuccessful, alleging that he had consistently evaded service. “We have made several efforts to serve him, but he has been unavailable. The court, having considered this, granted the order for substituted service,” he stated.
Next Hearing Date
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 8, 2026, for further proceedings. This development marks a new phase in the legal dispute, as the court moves to ensure that all parties are duly notified and the case proceeds without further delay.
