Former Niger State Attorney General and ex-Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Adamu Usman, has explained why he dragged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court following the party’s 2026 primaries.
Usman said his name was replaced after he emerged as the APC’s consensus candidate for the Mokwa Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
The former lawmaker said the decision to substitute his name sparked widespread anger among his supporters and constituents in Mokwa and the wider federal constituency.
According to him, he decided to challenge the development in court because allowing such an action to go unchallenged could encourage further impunity within political parties.
Why Adamu Usman Took APC, INEC To Court
Speaking to Punch, Usman said he had been returned as the consensus candidate before his name was substituted.
He explained that his supporters subsequently encouraged him to challenge the decision legally, insisting that they still wanted him to contest the election.
Usman described the substitution of his name as unfair and argued that political parties must follow their established rules and procedures.
He said, “Believe you me sincerely, when my name was substituted, instead of my name to be submitted to the INEC, believe me sincerely, not only me but to everybody was angry. It was all round anger per excellence for everybody within Mokwa and also, by extension, the federal constituency.”
‘We Are Still In The Race’
Usman, alongside supporters across his federal constituency, recently inaugurated the Tinubu, Bago, Usman support group.
He said the group would continue mobilising voters and sensitising constituents to support the APC while the legal battle over his nomination continues.
He urged his supporters not to lose hope, saying he remains confident that the court could eventually resolve the dispute.
“We are going back to send this message to them that Barrister Adamu Usman, the consensus candidate that was returned, is still in the race. Hope is still alive and they should not despair,” he said.
Usman cited previous cases in Niger State where disputes involving candidates and substitutions were eventually resolved through the courts.
He referenced similar situations in Lavun, Makun Local Government and a senatorial contest involving General Idris and Senator Mustapha.
Adamu Usman Warns Against Political Impunity
The former Attorney General said he was prepared to challenge what he described as impunity within the political system.
According to him, political parties are institutions that must operate according to established rules rather than changing the rules after a process has already been conducted.
“We cannot continue to allow this kind of impunity to continue because so many people thought I would not challenge it in court,” Usman said.
He argued that if political actors continually accept such decisions without seeking legal redress, party members and ordinary Nigerians could lose confidence in the electoral process.
“It is people like us, with legal minds who can challenge their impunity. We have nothing to lose if we challenge them in court. And that is what we are doing,” he added.
Usman maintained that his legal challenge is aimed not only at restoring his name but also at encouraging stronger institutions and greater adherence to party rules.
“It is very unfair,” he said, arguing that parties should not establish rules and then abandon them midway through an electoral process.
Support Group To Continue Mobilisation
Despite the ongoing dispute, Usman said his supporters remain committed to the APC and would continue campaigning for the party.
He said abandoning the political process could create an opportunity for opposition parties to gain support in the constituency.
According to him, the immediate objective is to keep his supporters informed while the legal process continues and to ensure that voters understand that he is still challenging the substitution of his name.
