Dwarf APC Aspirant Faces Disqualification, As Passport, NIN Show He Is 16, Not 30
KADUNA – Official documents belonging to Mahmud Sadisu Buba, popularly known as Abin Al’ajabi, an aspirant for the Sabon Gari Federal Constituency seat in Kaduna State, indicate that he was born in 2010, contrary to claims and media reports that placed his age at 30.
The dwarf politician drew public attention after appearing before the All Progressives Congress, APC screening committee on Saturday.
Before then, he had been photographed with several prominent political figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and some governors.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Buba said he was above 25 years old, the minimum constitutional age required to contest a seat in Nigeria’s House of Representatives.
However, a National Identification Number, NIN slip and an international passport seen by our correspondent reportedly show that he was born on August 27, 2010, meaning he will turn 16 in August 2026.
If accurate, the date of birth in the documents would place him below the constitutional age requirement for the House of Representatives and could affect his eligibility for the race.
Section 65 of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that a candidate for the House of Representatives must be at least 25 years old, while those seeking election into the Senate, governorship and presidency must be at least 35.
Following the emergence of these documents, Buba faces immediate disqualification from the APC primaries due to the age minimum gap.
He has already been sued in court for alleged age falsification and Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) forgery.
Meanwhile, a petition has been submitted to the APC House of Representatives Appeals Committee, challenging the aspirant’s eligibility over alleged discrepancies in his age, identity documents and educational qualifications.
The petitioners have formally urged the APC screening committee to independently verify his biometrics with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and examination bodies to preserve the party’s constitutional integrity.
The petition, filed by a law firm BLACK HALSBURYS L.P on behalf of Samaru Layin Tsamiya Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, accused the aspirant of allegedly falsifying his age, NIN and educational credentials.
Addressed to the chairman of the APC House of Representatives Appeals Committee at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, the petition said the allegations, if proven, could hurt the party’s chances in the 2027 general election.
“We are a firm of solicitors to Samaru Layin Tsamiya Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, all members of the All Progressives Congress, Sabon Gari Federal Constituency, Kaduna State,” the petition partly read.
The petitioners alleged that the respondent was born on August 27, 2010, at Hajiya Gambo Sawaba Government General Hospital, Zaria, and was issued a birth certificate at birth.
They further claimed that his NIN records and educational documents reflect the same date of birth.
“The Respondent has prior to now been issued with a National Identification Number (NIN) bearing 27th August, 2010 as his date of birth,” the petition stated.
The petition also claimed that the aspirant was admitted into Demonstration Secondary School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2023 and sat for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination in 2025.
According to the petitioners, despite these records, the aspirant allegedly declared himself 30 years old in the expression of interest and nomination forms submitted to the APC screening committee.
They urged the committee to ask him to produce the original copies of his NIN slip, birth certificate, international passport and educational certificates for verification.
The petitioners also called for independent verification of his records with the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, the West African Examinations Council, WAEC and NECO.
Among other requests, they asked the committee to disqualify him from the APC primary election if any material falsification or non-compliance is established.
“This petition is filed without malice, political vendetta, or personal hostility. It is submitted solely to protect the constitutional and procedural integrity of the party’s nomination process,” the petition added.
