A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the emergence of Senator Sunday Karimi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, ordering the party to replace his name with that of Samuel Aro.
The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish Aro as the APC’s duly nominated candidate, in a ruling that has been rejected by Karimi, who represents Kogi West in the Senate and has vowed to appeal.
Justice Salim Ibrahim, delivering judgment on Wednesday in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/63/2026, held that the APC primary election conducted on May 18, 2026, which produced Aro as the winner, was the valid exercise recognised by law.
The judge consequently nullified the submission of Karimi’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, and ordered the party to immediately forward Aro’s name to the electoral commission.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Aro against the APC, Karimi and INEC, challenging the party’s decision to submit Karimi’s name despite his claim that he had won the valid primary election.
Aro had argued that the primary which produced him was the exercise recognised by INEC, insisting that he had not withdrawn from the contest and that the APC was legally bound to nominate him.
Upholding his case, Justice Ibrahim said Aro had established his entitlement to the reliefs sought.
“It is the view of this honourable court that the plaintiff has proved his case and he is entitled to all the reliefs sought,” the judge held.
He faulted the purported primary that produced Karimi, declaring that it was not monitored by INEC as required by law.
“There is no gainsaying that the purported primary that produced the 2nd defendant was not monitored by the 3rd defendant as required by the Electoral Act and therefore, invalid,” Justice Ibrahim ruled.
The court also rejected results tendered by the APC and Karimi to establish the senator’s emergence as the party’s candidate, noting that they were not products of an election monitored by INEC.
The judge observed that INEC had no record of the results and did not issue Karimi certified true copies of the purported outcome despite his application in a letter dated June 15, 2026.
Relying on a Court of Appeal decision on party primaries, Justice Ibrahim noted that “any primary of a political party not so monitored would be regarded, ordinarily, as invalid.”
In his consequential orders, the judge declared that the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, “is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”
He further held that Aro, having emerged from the valid primary, “has not withdrawn his candidacy,” and that the APC was legally obligated to submit his name as its candidate for Kogi West.
The court ordered the party to “immediately forward or submit” Aro’s name to INEC and directed the electoral commission to “accept, recognise and publish” him as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.
Justice Ibrahim also restrained Karimi from “parading or further parading, presenting or further presenting, holding himself out” as the party’s candidate.
The APC was equally barred from presenting Karimi’s name to INEC or withholding Aro’s nomination, while the electoral commission was restrained from recognising or publishing Karimi as the party’s candidate.
The court made no order as to costs, directing the parties to bear their respective legal expenses.
Aro was represented by J.J. Usman (SAN) and M.S. Ibrahim (SAN), among others. John Olusola Baiyeshea (SAN) led Karimi’s legal team, while A.G. Yirvoms appeared for the APC and Dayo Akinlaja represented INEC.
Reacting to the judgment, Karimi rejected the court’s findings, insisting that the decision contradicted the evidence presented during the proceedings.
“It is clear that the judgment runs contrary to the evidence before the court. It is also unfortunate that the trial judge departed from his own previous rulings, having decided at least three similar cases on the statute of limitations in pre-election proceedings and the proper authority to conduct party primaries and determine their winners,” he said.
The senator announced his intention to challenge the ruling, expressing confidence in the judicial process.
He also alleged that Aro did not participate in the APC primary and submitted fabricated documents to support his claim.
“The people of Kogi West, the entire state, and even Samuel Bamidele Aro know that he did not participate in the primary election, yet submitted fabricated documents to support a false claim,” Karimi alleged.
He further accused unnamed political leaders in Kogi State of orchestrating the legal challenge to persecute him over his criticism of the management of the state’s resources.
“I wish to state that this incident is the handiwork of the state’s rulers who have been desperate and relentless in their efforts to persecute me and protect their grip on Kogi State’s resources, an issue I have spoken out against,” he added.
Despite the ruling, Karimi declared that his campaign would continue, while reaffirming his support for President Bola Tinubu.
“I remain strong and undeterred, and my campaign continues with renewed zeal and vigour. My detractors do not love our party or Mr President. I remain Mr President’s number-one supporter in Kogi State,” he said.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and steadfast as he pursues an appeal against the judgment.
“I urge my supporters to stay strong as we pursue redress in court. This is part of what we must go through to reach our destination. Let us remain steadfast in our quest for good governance,” he said.
Editorial accuracy note: The headline uses “sacks” in the sense that the court nullified Karimi’s candidacy and restrained him from presenting himself as the APC candidate. It did not remove him from his current Senate seat. Also, his allegations against Aro and unnamed political leaders are presented as allegations, not established facts.
