Kogi West APC Ticket: Aro Sues Party, Karimi, INEC

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bamidele Aro, has dragged the party, the senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Lokoja over the APC senatorial ticket for the 2027 general election.

NOP.NG reports that Aro, in an originating summons filed before the court, is challenging the process through which Karimi emerged as the party’s candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District.

The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether the APC is bound by the provisions of its constitution, electoral guidelines and the Electoral Act in the nomination of candidates for elective offices.

He is also seeking a declaration that the APC primary held on May 18, 2026, validly produced him as the party’s candidate for the Kogi West senatorial election.

Aro further asked the court to nullify the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, describing the action as “null, void and of no effect”.

He argued that since he did not withdraw his candidacy, the APC remained legally obligated to recognise him as its lawful candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.

The APC chieftain is also seeking an order directing INEC to accept and recognise his name as the party’s candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District.

The suit marks another phase in the controversy surrounding the APC ticket in the district following the May 18 primary.

Karimi Declared Winner Of Primary

Karimi had been declared winner of the APC senatorial primary after polling 51,665 votes across the district.

The result was announced by the returning officer, Isah Haruna.

Reports following the exercise had indicated that Aro and some other aspirants withdrew from the contest before the primary was conducted.

Karimi’s emergence also followed his earlier endorsement as the APC consensus candidate by stakeholders in Kogi West, with the support of the state Governor, Usman Ododo.

Following petitions and complaints arising from the primary election, the APC National Working Committee reviewed the matter based on the report of the party’s election appeal committee.

The NWC subsequently affirmed Karimi as the duly nominated candidate of the APC for the senatorial district.

The party thereafter forwarded his name to INEC through the commission’s candidate nomination portal.