A fresh legal dispute has emerged over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Kogi West Senatorial District, with Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro filing a suit at the Federal High Court in Lokoja against the APC, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the originating summons, Aro is asking the court to determine whether the APC complied with its constitution, electoral guidelines, and the Electoral Act in nominating its candidate for the 2027 Kogi West Senatorial District election. He is also challenging the party’s submission of Senator Karimi’s name to INEC.
The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that the APC primary election conducted on May 18, 2026, validly produced him as the party’s candidate.
He argues that the subsequent submission of another candidate’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, is unlawful, null, and void. Aro further contends that, since he has not withdrawn his candidacy, the party is obligated to recognise him as its legitimate flag bearer.
Among the reliefs sought is an order directing INEC to accept and recognise his name as the APC candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
The lawsuit marks the latest chapter in the lingering controversy surrounding the APC senatorial primary in Kogi West. Although Senator Karimi has enjoyed the backing of the party leadership and many stakeholders, Aro’s legal action signals that the dispute over the ticket is far from settled.
Senator Karimi was officially declared the winner of the May 18, 2026, primary election after the returning officer, Isah Haruna, announced that he secured 51,665 votes.
Reports at the time indicated that Aro and several other aspirants had withdrawn from the contest before the exercise. The primary was also conducted following Karimi’s endorsement as the APC consensus candidate by party stakeholders, with the support of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Following allegations of irregularities in the primary election, the APC National Working Committee (NWC), acting on the recommendations of the Election Appeal Committee, reaffirmed Karimi as the duly elected candidate and forwarded his name to INEC through the party’s nomination portal. The appeal panel reportedly reviewed more than 700 petitions nationwide, resulting in changes across nine states.
Aro’s decision to challenge both the outcome of the primary and the APC NWC’s resolution has generated mixed reactions within the party. While many acknowledge his constitutional right to seek judicial interpretation, some APC stakeholders and political observers have criticised the move, describing it as an unnecessary prolonging of internal disagreements.
According to some party members, reopening the contest after the party leadership accepted Karimi’s candidacy could divert attention from preparations for the 2027 general election and undermine party unity. One APC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, argued that the litigation reflects the determination of some political actors to sustain internal divisions rather than promote cohesion within the party.
As the case proceeds before the Federal High Court, political observers say the outcome could have significant implications for the APC’s internal cohesion and electoral strategy in Kogi West ahead of the 2027 general election.
