A female governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Mrs. Abimbola Olawumi, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to nullify the party’s primary election that produced Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the APC candidate for the 2026 governorship election.
In the suit filed by her legal team led by O.A. Olawuyi, Olawumi is asking the court to set aside her alleged disqualification from the party’s screening exercise. She is also seeking an injunction restraining the APC from barring her from participating in the primary election pending the final determination of the case.
In the originating summons, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2221/2025, Olawumi listed the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.
According to court filings dated October 20 and submitted on October 21, the aggrieved aspirant is seeking four main reliefs, including a declaration that her disqualification during the party’s screening exercise was unlawful, unconstitutional, and in violation of Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
She further urged the court to affirm that, as a duly cleared and bona fide member of the APC, she is entitled to participate in the party’s primary election for the nomination of its governorship candidate in Ekiti State.
In her supporting affidavit, Olawumi stated that she was unlawfully disqualified during the screening exercise conducted by the party on September 24, 2025, without adherence to the procedures outlined in the Electoral Act.
She argued that Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act stipulates that only a political party, aspirant, or candidate alleging non-compliance with the Act or party guidelines may seek redress in court — a condition she said the APC violated.
“The procedure adopted by the 1st defendant was arbitrary, contrary to the principles of fair hearing, and inconsistent with both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act,” she stated.
The plaintiff maintained that the Federal High Court has the jurisdiction to determine pre-election disputes relating to the nomination of candidates by political parties.
Her originating summons, brought under Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Sections 6(6)(b) and 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is currently before Justice Peter Lifu.
Meanwhile, Governor Biodun Oyebanji was on Monday confirmed as the APC governorship candidate for the June 20, 2026 election, having secured the votes of 885 delegates from the 177 wards across Ekiti’s 16 local government areas at the primary held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti.
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