The Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State, has fixed August 31, 2026, for judgment in a suit filed by All Progressives Congress senatorial aspirant, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, challenging the process that produced Senator Sahabi Ya’u as the party’s candidate for Zamfara North Senatorial District.
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Justice Hassan Dikko fixed the date on Friday after counsel to the parties adopted their final written addresses in the suit.
The action, marked FHC/GS/CS/6/2026, was instituted by Shinkafi against the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Senator Ya’u.
Following the adoption of the final addresses, Justice Dikko announced that judgment would be delivered on August 31.
Shinkafi approached the court after the APC’s May 19, 2026 senatorial primary process, challenging the emergence of Ya’u as the party’s candidate for the Zamfara North Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general election.
The plaintiff had maintained that he purchased the APC expression of interest and nomination forms for the senatorial contest and was subsequently screened and cleared alongside two other aspirants.
The three aspirants reportedly cleared for the exercise were Hanafi Musa Moriki, Shinkafi and Ya’u.
Shinkafi contends that he neither withdrew from the race nor consented to the adoption of Ya’u as a consensus candidate.
He argues that no valid consensus arrangement existed among the cleared aspirants and that a proper direct primary was not conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC’s guidelines.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether due process was followed in the process through which Ya’u emerged as the party’s candidate.
He also seeks a declaration that the process did not comply with the principles of internal democracy and applicable electoral laws.
Among the reliefs sought is an order setting aside the disputed primary and directing the APC to conduct a fresh primary involving all aspirants who were duly screened and cleared.
The defendants have opposed the suit and filed processes urging the court to reject Shinkafi’s claims.
At an earlier sitting, the court considered several applications and preliminary objections filed by the parties before fixing the matter for adoption of final written addresses.
With the final addresses now adopted, the parties will return to court on August 31 for judgment on the dispute over the APC’s Zamfara North senatorial ticket.
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