The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified Senator Sunday Karimi’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Kogi West Senatorial District election, declaring Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro the lawful winner of the party’s primary election.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered Karimi, who currently represents Kogi West in the Senate, to stop parading himself as the APC’s senatorial candidate for the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
The court also directed the APC to immediately forward Aro’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its duly nominated candidate and ordered the electoral commission to publish his name accordingly.
The ruling represents a major setback for the incumbent senator, whose emergence as the APC flag bearer had been challenged by Aro over alleged irregularities in the party’s nomination process.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ibrahim held that Aro successfully established his case and was entitled to the reliefs sought.
The judge explained that evidence before the court showed that the primary election won by Aro was conducted by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) Election Committee and monitored by INEC.
However, the purported primary election that produced Karimi was not monitored by the electoral commission, a development the court considered fatal to its validity.
The judge further observed that INEC had no official record of the results of the primary allegedly won by Karimi.
He referred to Exhibit 7b, tendered by Karimi himself, noting that the electoral commission did not issue the requested certified true copy of the purported results despite an application made by the senator in a letter dated June 15.
Justice Ibrahim maintained that monitoring by INEC was a mandatory requirement under the Electoral Act, 2022, particularly the provisions governing political party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
According to the judge, an aspirant who secures the highest number of votes in a valid party primary is entitled to be declared the winner and issued the relevant nomination documents for submission to INEC.
Consequently, the court granted Aro’s reliefs, including an order compelling the APC to recognise him as its candidate for the Kogi West senatorial seat.
How the Dispute Started
The legal battle followed the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Aro approached the Federal High Court, challenging the party’s decision to recognise Karimi as its candidate despite his claim that he had emerged victorious in the primary.
He sought a declaration affirming him as the winner of the exercise and an order setting aside the subsequent submission of Karimi’s name to INEC.
The dispute also raised questions about compliance with the APC’s constitution, electoral guidelines and the Electoral Act in the nomination of candidates for elective offices.
The suit initially commenced at the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, but was subsequently transferred to the Abuja division following security concerns.
The APC, Karimi and INEC were listed as the first, second and third defendants respectively.
During the proceedings, lawyers representing the defendants challenged the competence of the suit, arguing that it was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period for instituting pre-election matters.
Karimi’s counsel, John Olusola Baiyeshea, SAN, alongside INEC’s counsel, Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, and APC’s counsel, A.G. Ivom, urged the court to dismiss the case for being statute-barred.
Baiyeshea argued that the APC primary took place on May 18, while Karimi’s name was submitted to INEC on June 29, contending that Aro did not institute the action until late July.
He relied on Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides a 14-day period for instituting pre-election cases.
However, Aro’s counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, rejected the defendants’ arguments, maintaining that the evidence presented before the court, including documents obtained from INEC, established that his client won the primary election.
Usman urged the court to recognise Aro as the rightful winner and compel INEC to publish his name as the APC candidate.
The court ultimately ruled in Aro’s favour.
Karimi Rejects Judgment, Vows to Appeal
Reacting to the judgment on Wednesday, Senator Karimi rejected the court’s decision, describing it as contrary to the evidence presented during the proceedings.
In a statement personally signed by him, the senator said he was not discouraged by the ruling and would exercise his constitutional right to appeal.
Karimi questioned the judge’s interpretation of the issues surrounding the time limit for filing pre-election cases and the authority responsible for conducting political party primaries and determining their winners.
He also alleged that Aro did not participate in the APC primary election and accused him of presenting fabricated documents to support his legal claim.
The senator further alleged that unnamed political interests in Kogi State were behind the legal challenge, claiming that the case was part of efforts to persecute him over his criticism of the management of the state’s resources.
Despite the setback, Karimi insisted that his political activities would continue, expressing confidence that he would obtain redress through the appellate process.
He also urged his supporters to remain calm and steadfast while reaffirming his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Political Implications for APC in Kogi West
The judgment introduces fresh uncertainty into the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections in Kogi West, where Karimi had been seeking another mandate in the Senate.
The dispute has exposed divisions surrounding the party’s nomination process and raised questions about internal democracy, transparency and compliance with electoral regulations.
With the Federal High Court declaring Aro the lawful winner, the APC is now under a court order to recognise him and forward his nomination to INEC.
However, Karimi’s announcement that he intends to appeal means the legal battle may continue at the Court of Appeal, potentially keeping the party’s senatorial ticket in contention.
For now, the Federal High Court’s judgment stands, with Aro emerging as the candidate recognised by the trial court, while the final outcome of any appeal will remain crucial to determining the party’s position ahead of the 2027 elections.