The gubernatorial ambition of Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker, Engr. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, for the 2027 general elections has sparked legal controversy after a civil society group accused him of participating in both the governorship and House of Assembly primary elections within the same election cycle. The Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the legality of Danladi’s dual participation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1112/2026, names the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as co-defendants, raising serious questions about electoral compliance and party conduct.
The plaintiff alleges that Danladi was screened, cleared, and participated in the APC primary election for the Ilesha/Gwanara Constituency of the Kwara State House of Assembly on May 20, 2026. Just one day later, on May 21, he reportedly took part in the party’s governorship primary, with another exercise on May 22 declaring him the winner. The legal action seeks to determine whether the APC’s sponsorship and recognition of Danladi for two separate elective offices in the same electoral cycle comply with the Electoral Act, 2026. The suit also asks the court to assess whether a candidate can legally emerge as winner of one primary while the outcome of the other remains unresolved or unpublished.
The reliefs sought include a declaration that Danladi’s nomination, screening, clearance, and participation in both primaries constitute a violation of electoral laws and party regulations. The plaintiff further demands that the court declare his governorship aspiration and emergence as the APC candidate unlawful, unconstitutional, and null and void. Additionally, the suit seeks an injunction restraining INEC from accepting, publishing, recognising, or retaining Danladi’s name as the APC governorship candidate if the court finds he participated in both primaries simultaneously. The legal arguments are grounded in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions.
This legal challenge adds to mounting tensions within the APC in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 elections. Recently, the party’s elders caucus declared Danladi unfit, accusing Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of imposing him on the party. However, another faction within the state chapter of the APC has dismissed these claims, asserting Danladi’s qualifications as the party’s flag bearer. Political analysts have described these developments as signs of internal implosion, warning that such divisions could undermine the party’s chances in the upcoming elections. The outcome of this court case may significantly influence the political landscape in Kwara State and set a precedent for party primaries across Nigeria.
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