The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, have urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit challenging Bello’s emergence as the APC candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The case came up on Monday before Justice Inyang Ekwo, with lawyers to the parties adopting their respective processes and making final arguments.
The suit was filed by APC aspirant Momoh Obaro, who is asking the court to declare him the lawful winner of the May 18 senatorial primary and order the party to forward his name to INEC.
Obaro also wants the court to restrain the APC from recognising Bello as its candidate, alleging that the former governor had voluntarily withdrawn from the contest before the primary.
Bello, however, denied withdrawing from the election and maintained that he was properly screened and cleared to contest.
In his response, he argued that he secured the highest number of valid votes, putting his score at 72,999 against Obaro’s 188 votes.
He also challenged the competence of the suit and argued that Obaro failed to produce the authentic result sheet issued by the primary election committee.
INEC also asked the court to dismiss the case, saying it monitored the primary in accordance with the law.
The commission said Bello won the election after securing the highest number of valid votes and that reports from its officials showed that the exercise was substantially conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026.
The APC similarly urged the court to reject Obaro’s claims.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until November 19 for ruling on Obaro’s application to amend the suit or for judgment.
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