The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed the lawmaker representing Owo/Ose Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Timehin Adeleye, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election and declared rival aspirant, Abdugani Arobo, as the party’s lawful nominee.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Wednesday, holding that the APC failed to make a lawful return from its primary election and that the evidence presented by the party was riddled with inconsistencies.
The dispute followed the submission of Adeleye’s name by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the constituency.
The decision sparked protests from several APC members and stakeholders in Ondo State, who challenged the outcome of the primary election. Among them was Arobo, who approached the Federal High Court seeking to overturn the party’s decision.
In its ruling, the court declared Arobo the valid winner of the APC primary election conducted on May 16, 2026, after finding that he secured the highest lawful votes cast.
According to the judgment, “The plaintiff, having scored the highest lawful votes cast at the primary election held on the 16th day of May, 2026 with a total of 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area respectively, is the only aspirant whose name can be lawfully forwarded to the second defendant (INEC) as its nominated candidate for the seat of the House of Representatives, representing Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.”
The court further ordered that, “An order is hereby made for the defendants to forthwith accept, recognise, support, relate and deal with only the plaintiff, as winner of the House of Representatives election for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, the plaintiff having scored the highest lawful votes cast in the first defendant’s primary election conducted on the 16th day of May, 2026.”
Justice Lifu also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the APC and INEC from recognising or dealing with any other person as the party’s candidate for the constituency.
The judgment stated: “An order of perpetual injunction is made restraining the defendants, their agents and privies howsoever described, from recognising, dealing or relating with any other person apart from the plaintiff, as winner of the House of Representatives election for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, the plaintiff having scored the highest lawful votes cast in the first defendant’s primary election conducted on the 16th day of May, 2026.”
The court equally directed INEC to reopen its candidate nomination portal to enable the APC upload Arobo’s name as its authentic candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election.
“An order is further made, directing the 2nd defendant forthwith, to reopen its portal, for the purpose of including and uploading the plaintiff’s name, as rightfully nominated candidate of the 1st defendant, for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency general election, to be conducted in 2027,” the court ruled.
