The legal dispute over the APC governorship primary election has moved to the Abuja Court of Appeal. Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, is seeking to invalidate the election that produced Ahmed Ododo as the party’s candidate for the upcoming governorship election in November 2023. Adeyemi alleged that Ododo’s nomination violated constitutional and electoral provisions.
In a recent judgment, Justice James Omotosho upheld the primary election and dismissed Adeyemi’s claims. The court found that the primary election was validly conducted and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It also determined that Adeyemi failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate his allegations.
Despite the ruling, Senator Adeyemi plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the trial court overlooked crucial pieces of evidence and inconsistencies in the reports presented by INEC and the APC regarding the election process.
Adeyemi asserted that he invested significant resources, including obtaining nomination forms and undergoing screening, only to discover that the primary election had already taken place and a winner had been declared without his knowledge. He accused Governor Bello of manipulating the process to favor his preferred candidate, Ododo, who hails from the same zone as the governor.
Adeyemi requested the nullification of the primary election and urged the court to order the APC to conduct a fresh and fair primary election, in line with electoral regulations.