Court Sacks APC Candidate
A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has sacked Mancha John Vincent as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Jos South State Constituency and declared Hon. Ayuba Dalyop Mandung the winner of the party’s primary election.
The court, presided over by Justice Dorcas Agishi, also restrained the APC from presenting Vincent as its duly nominated candidate for the constituency in the 2027 general election.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Mandung against Vincent, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged alteration of the results of the party’s primary election held on May 20, 2026.
Mandung, represented by Ritji Timothy Yilwatda, challenged the alleged alteration of the results from Giring Ward after they had been announced.
In its ruling, the court held that the results of the primary election could not lawfully be changed after their announcement at the ward level. It also found that Mandung had not been given a fair hearing in the process.
Consequently, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from presenting Vincent as the APC’s duly nominated candidate for Jos South State Constituency.
The court further directed the defendants to comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines on the nomination of candidates.
It also issued a mandatory order compelling the APC to submit Mandung’s name to INEC as its duly nominated candidate for the constituency in the 2027 general election.
Additionally, the court awarded ₦500,000 against each of the three defendants, Vincent, the APC and INEC.
Mandung had approached the court in suit number FHC/J/CS/43/2026, seeking a declaration that he won the APC primary election after allegedly securing the highest number of votes announced at the ward level.
He also sought to challenge the alleged alteration of the original results in favour of Vincent.
The court dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants before determining the substantive issues in Mandung’s favour.
