Breaking: INEC Tells Court Actual Winner of Controversial APC Senatorial Primary
- INEC's lawyer told a Federal High Court that Gabriel Suswam won the APC primary for Benue North East senatorial district
- Suswam filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026 challenging the APC's decision to give the ticket to incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udenbe
- Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case after hearing final submissions from all four parties, setting October 12 as the judgment date
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told a Federal High Court on Wednesday that former Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Benue North East senatorial district, lending significant weight to Suswam's legal challenge against the sitting senator.
INEC's counsel, Anthony Malik (SAN), made the claim during final submissions at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026 is being heard. Malik urged the court to affirm the outcome of the primary, adding that INEC's report of the exercise and its results have already been placed before the court as exhibits.
Suswam approached the court after the APC declined to recognise his alleged victory in the primary and instead backed incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udenbe as its candidate. The former governor is asking the court, among other reliefs, to compel the party to give him the recognition he says he is entitled to.
Lawyers trade arguments before Justice Ekwo
Suswam's counsel, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), urged the court to grant all the reliefs his client is seeking and called on the judge to dismiss preliminary objections raised by both the APC and Udenbe, arguing that those objections lack merit.
The APC's lawyer, A. G. Yirvoms, took the opposite position and asked the court to uphold the party's objection and throw out the suit entirely. Udenbe's counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), aligned with that position, similarly praying the court to dismiss the case.
After hearing final arguments from all sides, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned proceedings to October 12 for judgment. The judge noted that parties would be informed if the ruling is ready before that date.
The defendants in the suit are the APC, Senator Udenbe and INEC.
Source: Legit.ng
