By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
The legal team representing Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (SAN), the All-Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 governorship candidate for Bauchi State, has defended the former governor against recent allegations of defamation, declaring his comments protected under constitutional free speech.
The defense follows a public announcement on July 24, 2026, by legal practitioner Barrister Jibril S. Jibril, who revealed that a formal petition had been filed against the APC flagbearer over controversial public remarks.
Speaking to journalists on Monday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Bauchi, Barrister Mohammed Alkassim, Secretary of the M.A. Abubakar Legal Team, clarified that the media briefing was aimed at educating the public on the legal realities of the case rather than formally replying to the petition.
Alkassim, a prominent local activist acting on behalf of the legal team’s head, H.D. Mohammed, emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution explicitly guarantees freedom of expression.
He asserted that Abubakar’s statements remained well within these legal boundaries and dismissed public speculation regarding its length, saying “It is not the volume of a petition that matters, but the substance of the allegations,”
He added that the legal team maintains full confidence in the objectivity of the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the matter strictly according to the law.
Central to the defamation allegation is the mention of the name “Shehu” in Abubakar’s original remarks, the legal team argued that the claim lacks merit because “Shehu” is an incredibly common name.
Alkassim noted that for any defamation suit to succeed, the remarks must uniquely identify a specific individual.
He questioned why others sharing the name had not claimed injury, arguing that the vague reference cannot legally constitute defamation against any single person.
The legal briefing also touched upon civic anti-corruption rights, with Alkassim noting that Nigerian law permits citizens to flag suspected financial crimes to agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The APC legal team concluded by urging calm among party supporters and the general public, confirming that the former governor is ready to cooperate fully with law enforcement.
“We are only waiting for the invitation of the police, and we are ready to escort our principal whenever he is invited,” Alkassim said.
