By Emmanuel Awari – Jalingo
The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, has adjourn hearing between Abdulhadi Haruna Law and Abubakar Bawa the current Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC to the 7th October 2026 for definite hearing.
The matter came up for commencement of trial, but however, counsel to the plaintiff informed the court that they were seeking an extension of time to enable them file responses to the replies submitted by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents.
According to the plaintiff’s counsel, the extension was necessary to adequately address all the issues raised in the respondents’ replies and to ensure a thorough presentation of the plaintiff’s case.
During the proceedings, the presiding judge, Justice Mashkur Salisu said the long adjournment of the matter to October 7th, 2026 was due to annual vacation of the court.
The counsel to the All Progressive Congress (APC) during aguement told the court that the Plaintiff ( Hadi Lau) has from 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 not paid his dues.
The plaintiff agued that the Apc Chairman, Abubakar Bawa was not qualified to be APC chairman, adding he only joined APC in 2026 and cannot be a valid APC Chairmam in the state.
“As at 2023, 2024 and 2025, the 3rd Defendant(Abubakar Bawa) was not a member of APC and can’t say which member of APC has paid dues or not.
The payment of dues by the Plaintiff is regular and properly made on 25th February 2026. The 3rd Defendant who has been a PDP member until March 2026 cannot complain about APC affairs prior to when he became a member.
The statement by the 3rd Defendant (Abubakar Bawa) that the Plaintiff ( Hadi Lau) should pay his 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 dues before his qualify to be APC chairman shows that Abubakar who only joined APC in 2026 cannot be a valid APC Chairman” plaintiff told the court.
The plaintiff further agued that there is no provision in APC constitution that dues must be paid before the 3rd day of March.
The plaintiff said the 3rd Defendant challenging the qualification of Hadi Lau is not allowed in an action commenced by originating summons, noting that If the 3rd Defendant wants to challenge the qualification of the Plaintiff, he should file a separate suit or file a counter claim.
“He can only defend the issues in the originating summons and not allowed to raise a fresh issue about the qualification of the Plaintiff. Besides, Abubakar Bawa who recently joined APC should not be heard challenging the qualification of old time APC members. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands” he noted.
The plaintiff was asking the court to declare the chairmanship primary election invalid, alleging that the exercise did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s guidelines.
The suit is expected to determine the legality of the primary election and could have significant implications for the APC’s leadership in Taraba State.
The court fixed October7th, 2026, for hearing on the originating summons, when the substantive issues raised in the suit.
Counsel to the respondents did not oppose the application. However, they drew the court’s attention to the delays occasioned by the plaintiff, noting that such delays were making the trial more protracted and resource-consuming for all parties. They urged the court to ensure strict compliance with timelines in subsequent proceedings.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the presiding judge granted the request for extension of time. In the interest of fair hearing and to allow the parties to properly join issues, His Lordship adjourned the matter to the 7th day of October, 2026 for definite hearing.
The court directed that all outstanding processes be filed and exchanged within time so that the case can proceed without further delay on the next adjourned date.
Speaking with Journalists shortly Counsel to Hadi Lau, Barrister P.D. Pius said that the case was adjourn to October 7th, 2026, because the Judges will be on holiday.
“From this month July – September, Judges will be on holiday that is the reason why we did not get a nearby date, so it was adjourn until after the holiday.
“There was an objection from the APC Chairman that the complaint is not surpose to contest for the Chairmanship seat of the Party, because he has not payed his Membership dues for 2023-2025.before contesting.
“We just have to respond because our client has already paid all his Membership dues. We are also looking that if that is the case, then it means that even the current APC Chairman is qualify to contest for seat because he is not up to a month that he joined the party.
When contacted, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Aaron Artimas, said that one of the major qualification for contesting election in the APC is that one must be a member of the Party and must show proof of been a financial member overtime in payment of yearly dues.
“The party also have the right to give waiver to whom the party whish to contest election which is constitutional. The National Working Committee the right to take decisions. Many Governors across the country joined the party and in the light of this development, the National Working Committee decided to give waiver to create room for those coming into the party including the current APC Chairman who was before then was the state chairman of PDP.
According to him, the waiver was specifically for beneficiaries.
“So if you join the party and a beneficiary of the waiver, you can contest election, so nothing stops the current APC Chairman from contesting, for it is a special waiver granted to him and the state Governor to be the leader of the Party in the state – he said.
