Donald Duke: Court adjourns matter to June 29

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has adjourned the case challenging the emergence of former governor of Cross River State as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to June 29 due to the absence of counsels representing the parties in the matter.

Abdullahi Muhammad, who is the counsel to Yakubu Kingsley who is challenging the declaration of Duke, prayed for an adjournment to enable them move a motion for substituted service of court processes on Duke.

Our Correspondent reports that when the case, which came up for the first time before Justice Mohammed Umar was called, only the plaintiff’s lawyer was in court.

The lawyer then told the court that though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was duly served with the originating summons, they had not been able to serve the ex-governor.

Counsels to People Redemption Party (PRP); a former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not in Court on Monday when the suit seeking to void Duke’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the party came up.

The court then adjourned the matter till next week Monday, June 29, after counsel to the plaintiff, Abdullahi Muhammad, prayed for an adjournment to enable them move a motion for substituted service of court processes on Duke.

“We, therefore, pray my lord for a short adjournment in order to move a motion for a substituted service on the 2nd defendant (Duke),” he applied.

Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until June 29 for mention and for moving a motion for substituted service of the court processes on Duke.

Daily Trust reports that a PRP’s presidential aspirant, Yakubu Kingsley, had sued the party, the former governor and INEC as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

Kingsley, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026 and filed by D.A. Sulyman, sought three questions for determination in the originating summons filed on June 10.

The plaintiff wants the court to determine whether Duke was dully returned as the presidential candidate of PRP in the May 25 primary election, in which its results was declared on the May 26, having not been a registered member of the party as at May 4, when the PRP’s membership register was submitted to INEC.

He is seeking a declaration that the ex-govenor, not been a registered member of PRP, cannot participate in the party’s primary election held on May 25 where he was declared the winner on May 26.

Kingsley, therefore, prayed the court for an order setting aside the results of the presidential election conducted in Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara respectively on the ground of over voting and an order declaring him as the presidential candidate of PRP for 2027 general elections.

UPDATE NEWS:

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder,

click here to find out how it works.