The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to disqualify former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kebbi State.
According to the ruling, the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to challenge the party’s primary election.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice M. G. Umar held that the plaintiff, Abdulrazak Isa Iko, failed to establish that he participated in the ADC governorship primary, making him ineligible under the law to question the outcome of the exercise.
The judge ruled that the suit lacked merit and substance after resolving the issue of legal standing against the plaintiff.
Justice Umar consequently dismissed the case in its entirety, allowing Malami to retain his position as the ADC governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 election in Kebbi State.
The latest judgment comes barely two weeks after Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of more than 40 properties linked to Malami following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court held that Malami, his family members and companies linked to the assets failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the properties were acquired through unlawful activities.
Before delivering that judgment, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed several applications and objections filed by Malami and the other respondents, describing them as lacking merit. She ruled that the central issue before the court was not ownership of the properties but whether the funds used to acquire them were legitimate.
The EFCC had initiated the civil forfeiture proceedings, alleging that the assets, valued at over ₦212.8 billion, were proceeds of unlawful activities. The commission argued that the properties were acquired using illicit funds and held in the names of individuals and companies acting as fronts for the former minister.
The EFCC listed the forfeited properties to include a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District, Abuja (File No. AN 11352); a two-winged large three-storey building situated at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited); Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, comprising a five-storey building (now luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Jabi, with 53 rooms/suites); Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, comprising terraces; Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Maitama, with 15 rooms); and Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), Asokoro District.
“Others are Shop No. C52, Citiscape – Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, FCT, Abuja; No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; Plot 157, Lamido Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a commercial plaza comprising commercial toilets, laundering facilities, warehouse tanks adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market; 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road; and another 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.
“Others are: a four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi; Shops Nos. A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja; No. 26 Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja; No. 27 EFAB Estate, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja; a four-bedroom house with two-room boys’ quarters at No. 10B Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna; Plot No. 13, IPENT 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja; a bedroom duplex with boys’ quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja; two warehouse shops B40 and B46, Wuse Market, Abuja; acquisition of twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 1401, Gudu District, Abuja; and properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage, namely: nine units of three-bedroom bungalows, three units of two-bedroom bungalows, and 5.4 hectares of land.”
The EFCC listed the rest as: ” The Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi State, including the factory buildings, factory machines and plant units, factory mosque, Rayhaan Mill staff quarters, and the Rayhaan Bustan Building.
“Others are assets at Azbir Arena, Kebbi State, including Azbir Hotel, Printing Press, Gallery, Gardens, Mosque, Azbir Clothing, and Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket. Other forfeited properties include the Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi; Rayhaan Security House off Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi; an uncompleted two-storey plaza located opposite Central Motor Park (Eastern Park), Birnin Kebbi; Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd. filling station structure along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi, near Jambali Automobile Workshop; the assets of Zeennoor Hotel at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano, with 131 rooms; Zeennoor Mosque at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano; and the old Zeennoor Hotel building. ”
The latest development also comes shortly after the Court of Appeal overturned an earlier Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties.
In its unanimous judgment, the appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case and declared the entire judgment a nullity. The Court of Appeal further ruled that the plaintiff in that case lacked the legal standing to institute the action, a finding that echoed the importance of locus standi in election-related litigation.
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