Proceedings in a suit challenging the conduct of the All Progressives Congress,.APC, primary election for the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency were on Wednesday stalled at the Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo following the absence of counsel to the third defendant.

The case, which was scheduled for hearing, was instituted by an APC female aspirant, Princess Leah Olusiyi Solomon, who is seeking the nullification of the party’s primary election in the constituency.

Solomon contends that the APC primary election was not conducted in any of the three local government council that make up the federal constituency—Jalingo, Yorro and Zing.

At the resumed hearing, the absence of counsel representing the incumbent member representing the counstituency at the National Assembly, who is listed as the third defendant in the suit, prevented the matter from proceeding as scheduled.

Consequently, the presiding judge adjourned the case until July 1, 2026, for further hearing.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the court session, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Pius Danba Pius, expressed surprise over the absence of the third defendant’s lawyer, noting that all parties had been duly served with the necessary court processes.

“I cannot understand why the counsel to the third defendant was absent from court despite having been served with the court papers,” Pius said.

He, however, expressed optimism that substantive hearing would commence at the next sitting of the court.

Although no official reason was provided for the absence of the third defendant’s counsel, Pius maintained that the matter should proceed on the next adjourned date, whether the lawyer is present or not.

Meanwhile, the court also adjourned a similar suit filed by Job Julius, an APC aspirant from the Ardo Kola/Karim-Lamido/Lau Federal Constituency to July 15, 2026.

Julius is likewise seeking the nullification of the APC primary election conducted in the constituency, alleging that the exercise was not properly held in accordance with the party’s guidelines and electoral requirements.

The two cases was observed to have added to the growing number of post primary election disputes within political parties ahead of future electoral contests, as aggrieved aspirants continue to seek judicial intervention over the conduct of party nomination processes.

Both matters are expected to return before the Federal High Court in Jalingo on their respective adjourned dates for further proceedings.