Karimi vows appeal after court voids Kogi West nomination - Punch Newspapers

The sacked All Progressives Congress candidate for Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, Sunday Karimi, has vowed to challenge a Federal High Court judgment against his candidacy, insisting that he remains the party’s flag bearer. Karimi, who currently represents the senatorial district in the Senate, was reacting to a judgment in a suit filed by Samuel Aro, who challenged his emergence as the APC Kogi West senatorial candidate. The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday nullified the submission of Karimi’s name as the APC candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, ordering the party to replace his name with that of Aro. Justice Salim Ibrahim, in a judgment in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/63/2026, held that the APC primary conducted on May 18, 2026, which produced Aro as the winner, was a valid exercise. The judge consequently set aside the party’s submission of Karimi’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission on July 11, 2026, and directed INEC to recognise and publish Aro as the APC’s candidate. The judgment followed a suit instituted by Aro against the APC, Karimi and INEC, challenging the party’s decision to forward Karimi’s name to the electoral commission despite his claim to having won the valid primary election. Aro maintained that the exercise that produced him as the winner was the primary recognised by INEC, adding that Karimi’s purported nomination was unlawful, and that the APC was bound to recognise him as its candidate, having not withdrawn from the race. Aro asked the court to nullify the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC and compel the electoral commission to recognise and publish him as the party’s candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election. In his ruling, the judge held that Aro had successfully established his case and was entitled 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,” Justice Ibrahim said.Make PUNCH part of your everyday experience.Add us to your Preferred Sources The judge faulted the purported primary that produced Karimi, holding that the exercise 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,” he held. Justice Ibrahim also rejected the results tendered by the APC and Karimi to establish the latter’s emergence as the party’s candidate, noting that they were not the product of an election monitored by INEC. He said the electoral commission had no record of the results and did not issue Karimi certified true copies despite his application in a letter dated June 15, 2026. The judge relied on a Court of Appeal decision which established that “any primary of a political party not so monitored would be regarded, ordinarily, as invalid.” In his declarations, Justice Ibrahim held that the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, “is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.” He also declared that Aro, having emerged as the winner of the valid primary, “has not withdrawn his candidacy,” adding that the APC was legally bound to submit his name as its candidate for the 2027 general election. Court order backs INEC over Kano NDC candidate’s omission 2027: APC taking Nigeria backwards, Utomi tells voters Rivers 2027: Lawyers endorse Chinda, Jack’s gov ambitions The court consequently ordered the APC to “immediately forward or submit” Aro’s name to INEC and directed the commission to “accept, recognise and publish” him as the party’s candidate for Kogi West. Justice Ibrahim further restrained Karimi from “parading or further parading, presenting or further presenting, holding himself out” as the APC’s candidate for the senatorial district. The judge also barred the APC from presenting Karimi’s name to INEC or withholding Aro’s name, while INEC was restrained from recognising or publishing Karimi as the party’s candidate. The court, however, made no order as to costs, directing the parties to bear their respective expenses. Aro was represented by J.J. Usman (SAN) and M.S. Ibrahim (SAN), among others. John Olusola Baiyeshea (SAN) led the legal team representing Karimi, while A.G. Yirvoms appeared for the APC and Dayo Akinlaja represented INEC. Reacting to the judgment, Karimi said, “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 he would exercise his constitutional right of appeal, expressing confidence in the judicial process. He further alleged that Aro did not participate in the party’s primary election but 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,” he said. Karimi also accused unnamed political leaders in the state of being behind the legal challenge, alleging that they were seeking to persecute him over his criticism of the management of Kogi 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 court judgment, the candidate said his campaign would continue, declaring his support for President Bola Tinubu. He said, “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 urged his supporters to remain calm and steadfast while the legal process continued. “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. Kindly share this story:

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