- A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled against a sitting National Assembly member, Timehin Adeleye, of the Owo/Ose federal constituency
- Justice Peter Lifu found that the APC’s evidence was riddled with inconsistencies in how it returned a candidate to INEC
- The court ordered INEC to reopen its portal and upload Abdugani Arobo’s name as the APC’s rightful candidate for the 2027 elections
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Akure, Ondo state – Ahead of the 2027 elections, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has removed Timehin Adeleye, the lawmaker representing the Owo/Ose federal constituency in Ondo state, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the seat, handing victory instead to Abdugani Arobo.
As reported by The Punch, Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Wednesday, August 5, ruling that the APC failed to make a lawful return. Justice Lifu also held that the evidence presented by the party was “riddled with inconsistencies.”
Source: Twitter
PM News also noted the update.
The ruling party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were named as defendants in the suit.
The dispute arose after the APC’s national working committee forwarded Adeleye’s name to INEC as the party’s candidate. Several APC members and chieftains in Ondo state openly opposed the decision, and Arobo filed a legal challenge against the NWC’s choice.
Court Declares Arobo Winner of May 2026 Primary
In his ruling, Justice Lifu declared that Arobo was the rightful winner of the party’s primary election held on May 16, 2026. According to the court, Arobo scored 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area, giving him the highest number of lawful votes cast.
The judgement read:
“The plaintiff, having scored the highest lawful votes cast at the primary election held on the 16th day of May, 2026, with a total of 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area respectively, is the only aspirant whose name can be lawfully forwarded to the second defendant as its nominated candidate for the seat of the House of Representatives, representing the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.”
Source: Twitter
INEC ordered to reopen portal for Arobo
Beyond recognising Arobo as the winner, the court issued a perpetual injunction barring both the APC and INEC from recognising or dealing with any other person as the candidate for the Owo/Ose constituency seat.
The court also directed INEC to reopen its portal specifically to include and upload Arobo’s name as the APC’s duly nominated candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Both the APC and INEC were further ordered to “forthwith accept, recognise, support, relate and deal with only the plaintiff, as winner of the House of Representatives election for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.”
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Ondo: Mimiko joins APC
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of Ondo, formally joined the ruling APC.
Mimiko, who governed the state between 2009 and 2016, had resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Joining the ruling party at the APC secretariat in Ward 7, Ondo West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, the former governor said he took the decision in order to join President Bola Tinubu in moving the country forward.
Source: Legit.ng