Aspirant Sues PRP, Duke Over Presidential Ticket

The Federal High Court in Abuja will on Monday hear a suit challenging the emergence of former Rivers State Governor, Donald Duke, as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the 2027 election.

Naija News reports that the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, was filed by a PRP aspirant, Dr Yakubu Kingsley, through his lawyer, D.A. Sulyman.

Justice Mohammed Umar fixed the case for hearing, while hearing notices have been served on the parties.

Kingsley sued the PRP, Duke and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first to third defendants.

He is asking the court to determine whether Duke was validly returned as the PRP presidential candidate in the May 25 primary, whose result was declared on May 26.

The plaintiff alleged that Duke was not a registered member of the party as of May 4, when the PRP membership register was submitted to INEC.

He also claimed that Duke ought not to have been cleared for the primary, having allegedly failed to appear physically for screening at the party’s national secretariat.

Kingsley further alleged over-voting in Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara states. According to him, Bauchi had 593 registered members in the party’s database, but 760 votes were recorded.

He also alleged that Gombe had 348 registered members but recorded 1,431 votes, while Kwara had 55 registered members but recorded 82 votes.

He asked the court to set aside the results from the affected states.

The plaintiff is seeking an order declaring him PRP’s presidential candidate, saying he complied with the party’s guidelines and was a registered member.

He also asked the court to direct INEC not to recognise Duke as the party’s presidential flagbearer or to delete his name from its database.

In his affidavit, Kingsley said he was a registered PRP member with membership card number 2A8D8B20B2.

He said he purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for N20m and met all nomination requirements.

Kingsley stated, “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.”

He added that he was screened and cleared to contest the primary. According to him, Duke’s name later appeared as an aspirant despite allegedly not taking part in the physical screening.

Kingsley alleged that the primary was marred by irregularities and manipulation.

He said, “That I verily believe that the purported result declared in favour of the 2nd defendant does not represent the lawful votes cast by eligible members of the party.

“That, when unlawful and inflated votes are excluded, I emerge as the aspirant who secured the highest lawful votes in the presidential primary election.”

The plaintiff said he filed the affidavit in good faith, believing its contents to be true.