Fresh Blow For ADC As Court Nullifies Babazango’s 2027 Reps Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the nomination of Abubakar Babazango as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the 2027 general elections.

The court also recognised Abubakar Bashir as the winner of the ADC primary election conducted for the constituency on May 21, 2026, and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Justice Chigozie S. Onah delivered the judgment on September 17, 2026, following a suit filed by Bashir against the ADC, INEC and Babazango over the disputed outcome of the party’s primary.

The dispute arose after Bashir emerged as the winner of the primary but Babazango was subsequently presented as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.

Official results cited in the court proceedings showed that Bashir secured 33,931 votes to defeat six other aspirants. Zayyad Tumba came second with 16,266 votes, while Yusuf Garba polled 14,611 votes. Abubakar Mohammed received 10,035 votes, Abubakar Gabdo scored 8,022, Abdulaziz Abubakar obtained 4,501, while Babazango recorded 4,359 votes.

Following the primary, Bashir challenged the decision to replace his name with that of Babazango, arguing that the party had no legal basis to substitute the declared winner with an aspirant who did not emerge victorious at the primary.

The ADC had denied allegations of manipulating the primary results. Bashir subsequently approached the Federal High Court, asking it to determine whether the nomination process complied with the Electoral Act, the ADC Constitution and the party’s own guidelines.

In his judgment, Justice Onah ruled that the process through which Babazango was accepted and presented as the winner was inconsistent with the ADC Constitution and its guidelines.

The judge specifically relied on Section 12 of the ADC Guidelines for the Conduct of Primary Elections, which provides that a declared winner can only be replaced under specified circumstances, including death or withdrawal from the contest. The court found that neither condition applied to Bashir.

The court consequently set aside Babazango’s nomination and restrained him from presenting himself as the ADC candidate for the constituency in the 2027 elections.

INEC was ordered to recognise Bashir as the winner of the May 21 primary and as the ADC candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency. The ADC was similarly directed to recognise Bashir as its duly elected candidate.

Justice Onah further held that the ADC must comply with the Electoral Act 2026 and its own guidelines when conducting its nomination process.

Bashir had sought ₦25 million in litigation costs, but the court declined the request. Instead, it awarded ₦1 million in costs against the ADC and another ₦1 million against Babazango.

The ruling changes the ADC’s candidate for the Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections, subject to any further legal proceedings arising from the judgment.