The Niger State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has commenced pre- pre-hearing conference into the Suleja Local Government Election conducted on the 1st eNovember 2025.
Shehu Abdukadir of the Social Democratic party (SDP) had approached the tribunal through his Counsel Abdurrahaman Ahmad Siraj, Esq,challenging the election of Isyaku Bawa Naibi of the All Progressive Congress (APC) praying the tribunal for the nullification of his election.
He claimed that Isyaku Bawa’s election was marred with irregularities and non-compliance with the electoral laws and that Isyaku Bawa Naibi was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the pre-hearing conference at the Minna High Court Complexe the counsel to the petitioner Barrister Abdulraham Ahmad Siraj.stated that he was in the tribunal in respect of the petition filed against the election of the Social Democratic party (SDP), candidate of Suleja Local Government Isyaku Bawa Naibi of the All Progressive Congress (APC)
“That is in respect of the chairmanship election of suleja local government council, which was held on the 1st day of November 2025,
That is the reason why we are here today.
“ We are still at the preliminary stage, the business of today is what is called the pre hearing conference or pre-hearing session.
So the essence is to take preliminary applications and to streamline the various
case of the parties, so that at the end of the session, the Tribunal will issue what is known as a pre trial conference report
And scheduling order, which will guide all the parties and the Tribunal in the petition as to the approach to be adopted as far as, hearing and determination of the petition is concerned” he said
According to the legal practitioner, the petition raises three grounds
“One, it is the case of the petitioner, that the first respondent, Ishaku Bawa Naibi, was not qualified to contest the election at the time of the election.
secondly, that he was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast at the election.
And the third one is irregularities and non compliance with the provisions of the relevant laws, So these are basically, the three grounds upon which the petitioner's petition”
“Well, we have prayers in the alternative, but one of them is seeking the court to declare that the first respondent was not qualified to contest the election, and since he was not qualified to contest the election, the Honorable tribunal should set aside his return and order a fresh election to be conducted.
This basically is the principal prayer of the Petition.
“We are still at the preliminary stage, like I told you. So by the time we have the pre trial conference report and scheduling order we proceed to the next stage, which is calling of witnesses, evidence of witnesses.
We have adjourned for the continuation of the pre hearing session too. So during that time, there are certain documents that will be tendered in the course of the pre hearing, and once that is concluded, we will move to the next stage of the hearing proper.” he told journalists in an interview.
