Court Dismisses Suit Challenging PRP, Donald Duke, INEC

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by Yakubu Muhammad Kingsley (YMK) against the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), its presidential candidate, Donald Duke and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In its judgment, which was delivered in Abuja yesterday, the court upheld the preliminary objection filed by the PRP and Duke, ruling that Kingsley commenced the suit outside the time prescribed by the constitution.

In the same vein, the court also considered the substantive issues raised by the plaintiff and resolved them in favour of the respondents.

On Duke’s alleged membership of the PRP, the court held that membership of a political party was an internal party matter and therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction.

The court found that Kingsley failed to place before it the party guidelines, which he alleged had been breached during the PRP’s screening exercise.

On the allegation of over-voting in the PRP primary election in Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara states, the court held that the plaintiff failed to provide the party’s membership register, accreditation records and final primary election results to substantiate the claim.

Consequently, the court dismissed the suit and resolved all the issues in favour of the PRP, Duke, and INEC.