The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct fresh primary elections in 10 wards of the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency over alleged irregularities in the exercise that produced Dachung Bagos as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Justice Dorcas Agishi issued the order on Friday in a suit instituted by Esther Danboyi against Bagos, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court also awarded ₦1.5 million in costs against the defendants, directing each of them to pay ₦500,000 to the plaintiff.
The suit, marked FHC/J/CS/42/2026, challenged the validity of the APC primary, alleging that the party failed to comply with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its own guidelines for conducting primary elections.
According to the plaintiff’s counsel, Ritji Yilwatda of Gyang Zi & Co., the court found that the required elections had not been conducted in the 10 disputed wards and consequently directed the party to organise fresh polls in the affected areas within 30 days.
The affected wards are Du, Shen, Zawan ‘B’, Fobur ‘A’, Fobur ‘B’, Jarawan Kogi, Mai Juju/Doss, Federe, Shere East and Shere West.
Yilwatda further disclosed that his client had accused the APC of denying her a fair hearing despite submitting petitions to the party and its Primary Election Appeal Committee over the disputed process.
He added that the court dismissed the preliminary objections and counter-affidavits filed by the defendants.
The legal battle arose from Danboyi’s challenge to the primary election that produced Bagos as the APC candidate for the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency.
She alleged that the party failed to conduct valid elections in the affected wards and did not adequately address her complaints through its internal dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Consequently, she asked the court to nullify the disputed results and compel the APC to conduct and conclude primary elections in the wards where she claimed the exercise had not taken place.
The court’s order for fresh primaries within 30 days marks a significant legal development for the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections in Plateau State.
