By MA Aliyu
The recent attempt by ADC governorship aspirant, Hon. Bashir Adamu (Matawallen Kazaure), to challenge the outcome of the party’s gubernatorial primary election has generated considerable political discourse within Jigawa State. However, a critical examination of the facts and the party’s electoral framework reveals that the petition is fundamentally encumbered by a fatal procedural defect which renders it incapable of sustaining judicial or quasi-judicial scrutiny within the party structure.
Available records indicate that the petition was formally lodged before the State Governorship Election Appeal Committee on 31 May 2026, despite the fact that the revised timetable issued by the African Democratic Congress had expressly prescribed 23 May 2026 as the terminal date for the consideration of appeals arising from the governorship primary election.
The doctrine of procedural compliance remains a cardinal principle in electoral adjudication. Timelines established by political parties are not ornamental provisions; they constitute mandatory conditions precedent to the invocation of appellate jurisdiction. Once the stipulated period expires, any subsequent attempt to activate the appeal mechanism becomes legally and administratively incompetent.
More significantly, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ADC, at its meeting of 29 May 2026, ratified the outcomes of all concluded primary elections nationwide, save for contests where valid appeals were pending as of that date. The unavoidable inference is that any petition purportedly submitted on 31 May 2026 could not have qualified as a pending appeal before the NEC and therefore lacked the procedural foundation necessary to affect the status of the duly ratified primary election outcome.
Consequently, the petition in question appears to be statute-barred, jurisdictionally defective, and procedurally extinguished by operation of the party’s electoral timetable. In legal parlance, such a petition is dead on arrival, having failed to satisfy the threshold requirement of timely filing. It therefore becomes unnecessary for the Appeal Committee to inquire into the substantive allegations contained therein, as a defective process cannot confer jurisdiction upon the adjudicating body.
Against this backdrop, we respectfully urge the relevant Appeal Committee and the national leadership of the ADC to uphold the sanctity of the party’s constitution, guidelines, and electoral regulations by discountenancing the petition in its entirety and affirming the validity of the primary election that produced Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu as the party’s governorship candidate.
It is imperative to note that the governorship primary election was conducted in a peaceful, transparent, and democratically credible manner, reflecting the collective will of accredited delegates and stakeholders. The outcome emerged through a process consistent with the principles of internal party democracy and deserves the respect and support of all loyal party members.
As the political landscape gradually shifts towards the 2027 general elections, the ADC in Jigawa State must avoid distractions capable of undermining party cohesion and electoral preparedness. The overriding priority should be consolidation, reconciliation, and strategic mobilization rather than prolonged internal contests that have already been overtaken by procedural realities.
The future of the party lies not in reopening concluded processes but in forging a united front capable of delivering electoral victory. Party members, aspirants, and stakeholders must therefore subordinate personal ambitions to the collective interest of the ADC and channel their energies toward strengthening the party’s prospects ahead of the forthcoming elections.
A disciplined adherence to due process, respect for constituted authority, and unwavering commitment to party unity remain the indispensable pillars upon which sustainable political success can be built.
Signed
MA Aliyu
Chairman, ADC Unity and Advocacy Forum, Jigawa State
