Stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi West Senatorial District Kogi West Senatorial District have petitioned the party’s National Chairman, alleging the illegal substitution of the winner of the senatorial primary election, Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro, with Senator Sunday Karimi.

In the petition addressed to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, the party leaders urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to reverse the alleged substitution, insisting that Aro remained the duly elected candidate of the party for the Kogi West Senatorial District.

The petition, signed on behalf of the Kogi West Zonal Chairman, Hon. Aledare Emmanuel Ayo; APC Deputy State Chairman, Hon. Aliyu Salihu; and State Youth Leader, Hon. Buhari Lokoja, described the reported replacement as illegal and capable of undermining party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The petitioners said party executives at the ward, local government, zonal and state levels had, months before the primary election, passed votes of no confidence in Senator Karimi, citing concerns over his suitability and alignment with the party’s objectives in the district.

They maintained that the APC senatorial primary election was validly conducted and produced Aro as the winner, adding that the result was confirmed by the party’s electoral committee and remained the only valid outcome after the expiration of the appeal period.

According to the petition, Senator Karimi neither challenged the outcome of the primary through the party’s internal appeal process nor obtained any court judgment nullifying Aro’s victory.

The petitioners argued that any subsequent substitution of Aro’s candidacy would violate the Electoral Act, the APC Constitution and Guidelines, as well as the wishes of party members who participated in the primary election.

They also dismissed reports that Aro had voluntarily withdrawn from the race, insisting that he neither completed nor submitted any withdrawal form as required by law.

The APC leaders further alleged that the party’s national leadership may have been misled into approving the reported substitution and warned that failure to address the matter could deepen internal divisions in Kogi West.

They called on the National Working Committee to investigate the matter, reverse the alleged substitution if it occurred, restore Aro as the party’s authentic senatorial candidate, and uphold the principles of internal democracy and the rule of law.

Copies of the petition were also sent to the APC National Secretary, the party’s National Legal Adviser, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).