A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Honourable Tari Trochan, has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the disqualification of Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as the party's gubernatorial candidate for Nasarawa State. The suit, dated May 8, 2026, alleges that Wadada holds dual membership in the APC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which is prohibited by the Amended Electoral Act.
Legal Basis for Disqualification
The plaintiff argues that the lawmaker's actions violate paragraph 178 of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates membership of a single political party, as well as articles 9, 20.2, and 20.3 of the APC constitution. The originating summons demands that Wadada show cause within seven days why an order restraining him from participating in the ongoing APC screening process for the 2027 elections should not be granted.
Specific Court Orders Sought
Trochan is praying the court to disqualify the aspirant, declare any screening he participates in as null and void, and restrain the Nasarawa State Working Committee of the APC from supervising the screening with Wadada as a participant. The plaintiff contends that the senator cannot legally maintain membership rights, privileges, and political benefits in two parties simultaneously.
According to the suit, Wadada resigned from the SDP on August 20, 2025, as announced by the Senate President on April 22, 2026, but had already joined the APC in October 2025. Despite this, he continued to occupy the office of chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, a position conventionally reserved for opposition minority parties. The plaintiff argues that this means Wadada did not effectively cease his SDP membership until April 22, 2026.
Court's Directive
The court has ordered the defendant to enter appearance in the originating summons, warning that failure to do so may result in orders deemed just and expedient by the judge. The summons must be served on the defendant, the National Chairman of the APC, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the National Chairman of the SDP.
The order also seeks to restrain Senator Wadada from participating in the APC primaries for the office of Governor of Nasarawa State. The case highlights ongoing tensions within the APC over candidate selection and adherence to party and legal regulations.
