Kogi West APC Primary: Karimi, Bamidele’s Lawyers Clash as Court Reserves Judgment
The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit challenging Senator Sunday Steve Karimi’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2026 party primary, following opposing arguments by lawyers representing the plaintiff and defendants.
Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment on Monday after listening to submissions from counsel in the suit filed by Aro Samuel Bamidele, who is asking the court to declare him the winner of the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026.
The date for the delivery of judgment has yet to be communicated to the parties.
The suit lists the APC, Senator Karimi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants. It was initially filed at the Federal High Court in Lokoja but was later transferred to the Abuja division over security concerns.
Bamidele is seeking an order setting aside the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 general election and a declaration recognising him as the winner of the party’s primary.
At Monday’s proceedings, lawyers for the defendants challenged the competence of the suit, arguing that it was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period for pre-election matters and should therefore be dismissed.
Karimi’s Lawyer Questions Timing, Authenticity of Results
Counsel to Senator Karimi, John Olusola Baiyeshea, SAN, argued that the suit was statute-barred under Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which prescribes a 14-day period for instituting pre-election cases.
Baiyeshea told the court that the APC primary was held on May 18, 2026, while Karimi’s name was submitted to INEC on June 29. He maintained that Bamidele did not commence the action until late July, beyond the period allowed by the Constitution.
The senior advocate argued that the limitation period should be calculated from the date the event giving rise to the cause of action occurred, rather than from when the plaintiff became aware of it.
Beyond the timing of the suit, Baiyeshea questioned the credibility of the results presented by Bamidele in support of his claim.
He alleged that the documents contained discrepancies, including the inclusion of part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential election results in the senatorial primary results.
He also challenged the list of individuals presented by the plaintiff as ward agents, arguing that their names were associated with the House of Representatives primary rather than the senatorial contest.
Baiyeshea further told the court that the APC had filed a document disowning the results relied upon by Bamidele, insisting that the party’s own records contained the authentic results of the primary election.
The lawyer also claimed that Bamidele had withdrawn from the contest before the primary was held, referring to an announcement allegedly made by the plaintiff on his social media account days before the exercise.
He argued that the alleged withdrawal further weakened Bamidele’s claim to the party’s ticket.
APC, INEC Back Defendants’ Objections
Counsel to the APC, A. G. Ivom, aligned with Baiyeshea’s arguments, insisting that the plaintiff had not established that he won the primary election.
Ivom maintained that the APC, as the party responsible for conducting the primary, compiled the actual results, while INEC’s role was to monitor the process and prepare its reports.
Counsel to INEC, Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, also challenged the plaintiff’s case and urged the court to uphold the defendants’ objections.
The defendants’ lawyers consequently asked the court to reject Bamidele’s claims, relying on their arguments concerning the timing of the suit and the credibility of the evidence presented.
Bamidele’s Lawyer Insists on Victory
However, counsel to Bamidele, Johnson Usman, SAN, disputed the defendants’ position, maintaining that the evidence before the court supported his client’s claim to victory in the APC primary.
Usman argued that the results allegedly obtained from INEC demonstrated that Bamidele won the contest and should be recognised as the party’s candidate for Kogi West Senatorial District.
Addressing the discrepancy involving President Tinubu’s results, the plaintiff’s lawyer acknowledged that their inclusion in the documents tendered by his client was an error. He, however, argued that the mistake was not sufficient to invalidate the entire case.
Usman urged the court to declare Bamidele the winner of the APC senatorial primary and direct INEC to publish his name as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election.
The plaintiff’s position therefore rests on his contention that the evidence presented supports his claim to the ticket, while the defendants have questioned both the timeliness of the action and the reliability of the documents relied upon.
Judgment to Determine Kogi West APC Ticket Dispute
With judgment reserved, the dispute over the APC senatorial ticket in Kogi West now awaits the court’s final determination.
The eventual ruling will determine the outcome of Bamidele’s challenge to Karimi’s emergence as the party’s candidate, with the competing arguments centred on the constitutional time limit for pre-election suits, the authenticity of the primary results and the plaintiff’s claim to victory.
Until the court delivers its judgment, the issues raised by both sides remain subject to judicial determination.