… Allege illegal substitution

 

An aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who contested for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, David Akingboye, has dragged the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging what he described as the unlawful substitution of his name.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, represented the latest crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the APC, with Akingboye contending that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) unjustly replaced him with Ojogo despite his claim of having won the direct primary.

The plaintiff, who is one of the loyalists of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is asking the court to determine whether the APC can lawfully nominate and submit to INEC the name of an aspirant who allegedly did not emerge as the winner of the direct primary conducted for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1538/2026, Akingboye joined the APC, INEC, and Donald Ojogo as first, second, and third defendants, respectively, with the originating summons, dated July 15, 2026, filed by his counsel, Remi Peter Olatubora (SAN).

Among the reliefs sought is a declaration that only the aspirant who polled the highest number of votes at the APC primary election can be validly nominated as the party’s candidate for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

Akingboye is also seeking an order compelling the APC to submit his name and particulars to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

A party chieftain, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the party was aware of irregularities committed by some supporters of the governor in collaboration with members of the primary election committee during the exercise.

The source, however, maintained that the National Working Committee’s decision was based on the report of the party’s appeal committee after considering petitions submitted by aggrieved aspirants.

When contacted for comments, Ojogo declined to speak on the matter, citing the pendency of the case before the court.

Meanwhile, Aiyedatiwa has directed the state APC Chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, to constitute a reconciliation committee headed by the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Biyi Poroye, to address grievances arising from the primaries.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.