APC Primary: Court Grants Felande’s Request to Present Additional INEC Documents

57

The Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, granted an application filed by Samir Salihu Felande seeking leave to tender additional documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his legal challenge against the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Argungu/Augie Federal Constituency.

The ruling marks another significant development in the closely watched pre-election dispute between Felande and the APC candidate, Umar Hassan Augie.

Briefing journalists after the court proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Munirat O. Yahaya, explained that at the last adjourned sitting, her team argued an application seeking the court’s permission to introduce certain documents obtained from INEC, which they believe are crucial to the determination of the case.

According to her, INEC opposed the application by filing a counter-affidavit, urging the court to reject the request on legal grounds.

She, however, said the court, after considering the submissions of all parties, ruled in favour of the plaintiff.

“At the last adjourned date, we argued our application seeking leave to bring in certain documents from INEC, which we believe are important for the just determination of this case. INEC opposed the application by filing a counter-affidavit, but today, by the grace of God, the court ruled in our favour and granted our application, giving us the opportunity to bring in those documents,” she said.

Munirat added that following the ruling, the court adjourned the matter to Wednesday, July 15, 2026, for the commencement of the substantive hearing of the case.

The suit stems from Samir Salihu Felande’s challenge to the declaration of Umar Hassan Augie as the APC candidate for the Argungu/Augie Federal Constituency. Felande maintains that no valid primary election was conducted before Augie was declared the party’s flag bearer.

With the court now allowing the plaintiff to tender additional INEC documents, attention will shift to the substantive hearing scheduled for July 15, where the parties are expected to begin presenting their main case before the court.