2027: Court removes Ondo APC Reps candidate, declares Arobo winner

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the nomination of Mr. Timehin Adeleye as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring Abdugani Arobo as the party’s rightful candidate.

Adeleye’s name had earlier been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission by the National Working Committee of the APC as the party’s candidate for the constituency.

The decision sparked protests from several APC members and stakeholders in Ondo State, with some aspirants alleging that the outcome of the party’s primary election had been disregarded.

One of the aggrieved aspirants, Arobo, subsequently approached the Federal High Court, naming the APC and INEC as defendants in the suit.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the APC failed to make a lawful return from the primary election, adding that the evidence presented by the party was inconsistent.

The court held that Arobo emerged as the valid winner of the APC primary election conducted on May 16, 2026, having secured the highest lawful votes across the two local government areas that make up the constituency.

According to the judgment, Arobo polled 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area, making him the only aspirant entitled to be recognised as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat.

Justice Lifu ordered the APC and INEC to recognise only Arobo as the winner of the primary election and restrained both parties from acknowledging any other aspirant as the party’s candidate for the constituency.

The court also directed INEC to reopen its nomination portal to enable the submission and upload of Arobo’s name as the APC candidate for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election.