Kogi West APC Ticket: Court rules for Aro as Karimi heads to appeal

By Ralph Omololu Agbana
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ruled in favour of Samuel Bamidele Aro in the legal battle over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, prompting incumbent Senator Sunday Steve Karimi to reject the judgment and vow to appeal.

The court’s decision followed a suit filed by Aro, who challenged Karimi’s emergence as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.The suit, initially filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja Division, was transferred to Abuja on security grounds and heard by Justice Salim Ibrahim.

Aro had joined Karimi, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC as defendants, seeking an order declaring him the winner of the party’s senatorial primary held on May 18, 2026. He also asked the court to set aside the submission of Karimi’s name to INEC as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.

Reacting in a statement dated November 4, 2026, Karimi expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment, arguing that it contradicted the evidence before the court and departed from the judge’s previous decisions in similar pre-election matters.He particularly questioned the court’s position on limitation periods in pre-election cases and the authority empowered to conduct party primaries and declare their winners.

The senator maintained that Aro did not participate in the APC primary and questioned the authenticity of documents allegedly submitted to support his case. He, however, acknowledged the right to appeal and vowed to pursue all available legal remedies.Karimi also gave the dispute a political dimension, accusing unnamed power brokers in Kogi State of orchestrating what he described as a campaign of persecution against him because of his criticism of the management of the state’s resources.

He insisted that his political structure remained intact despite the court battle, promising to intensify his mobilisation and campaign activities.Reaffirming his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, the senator described himself as the President’s foremost supporter in Kogi State, while accusing his detractors of working against the interests of the APC.

He urged his supporters to remain calm, courageous and steadfast, assuring them that the legal challenge would not derail their aspiration for purposeful representation and good governance.In his statement, titled ‘I Remain Undeterred, the Candidate of APC for Kogi West Senatorial District in the Forthcoming 2027 Election’, Karimi said he remained confident in the Nigerian judicial system and would seek redress through the appellate process.

He added that the judgment would not weaken his political resolve, insisting that his campaign would continue with renewed determination.However, Aro adopted a conciliatory tone in his reaction, describing the judgment as an opportunity for reconciliation and renewed commitment to the development of Kogi West.

In a statement titled ‘A Time for Reconciliation and Renewed Commitment to Kogi West’, he expressed gratitude to God and commended the judiciary for upholding the rule of law, due process and the peaceful resolution of disputes through democratic institutions.Aro said the judgment should not be viewed as a personal victory over Karimi, stressing that there was no victor or vanquished in the dispute.

He extended a hand of friendship to the incumbent senator, acknowledging his contributions to the political development of Kogi West and insisting that their differences were not personal.

“Our differences have never been personal, and I harbour no ill feelings towards him. We may have found ourselves on opposing sides of a political contest, but we remain brothers, united by our shared heritage and our common responsibility to the good people of Kogi West,” he said.

Aro also appealed to Karimi’s supporters across the senatorial district to embrace reconciliation, acknowledging their loyalty and commitment to their preferred candidate.He maintained that the mandate belonged not to him alone but to all APC members and the people of Kogi West, irrespective of political affiliation, personal preference or past disagreements.

The conflicting reactions have opened another chapter in the APC’s political contest in Kogi West, with Karimi’s planned appeal likely to prolong the legal battle over the party’s senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.