A Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, has granted an order for substituted service on the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Bawa.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, followed the alleged failure of the APC chairman to accept court processes in a suit challenging the outcome of the party’s recent state chairmanship primary.
The case was instituted by one of the aspirants in the exercise, Alhaji Abdulhadi Lau, who is contesting the conduct of the primary election. Lau accused the party leadership and its chairman of irregularities, arguing that the process did not provide a level playing field for all contestants.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Pius D. Pius, told journalists after the court session that the matter had initially been scheduled for hearing but could not proceed due to difficulties in serving the defendant with court documents.
He explained that the plaintiff subsequently applied for substituted service, which the court granted, permitting the originating processes to be pasted at the APC secretariat.
According to him, several attempts to personally serve the APC chairman were unsuccessful, alleging that he had consistently evaded service.
Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case to June 8, 2026, for further proceedings.
The development, as observed by our reporter, marks a new phase in the legal dispute, as the court moves to ensure all parties are duly notified, and the matter proceeds without further delay.