Supreme Court Confirms Ishaku as APC Candidate for Bwari

The Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed Joshua Ishaku as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election, scheduled for February 21. The ruling, delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Jamilu Tukur, overturned a major decision by the Court of Appeal that had dismissed Ishaku's suit on the grounds of a statutory bar.

The apex court found that the lower courts miscalculated the timeline for filing the case, which should have been within 14 days as stipulated by Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled that Ishaku's nomination was valid and that the internal affairs of political parties warrant judicial intervention when statutory rights are at stake.

Justice Okon Abang dissented, arguing that Ishaku provided credible evidence of winning the APC primary election held on June 25, 2025, with 33 votes. The court ordered the publication of Ishaku's name as the APC candidate for the upcoming election.