by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Abimbola Olajumoke Olawuni, has petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify the party’s primary election in Ekiti State that produced Governor Biodun Oyebanji as its candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial poll.
Olawuni told the court that the process used in the disputed primary was arbitrary, violated the principles of fair hearing, and was inconsistent with both the APC Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
She argued that, despite being a bona fide party member and having purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, she was unlawfully excluded from participating in the primary election.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABM/CS/222/2025 and filed on her behalf by Abayomi Oluwafemi Olawuyi, Olawuni is seeking a court order to set aside her disqualification and to prevent the APC from excluding her from the nomination process.
The aspirant stated that she had been cleared at the initial stage of the primary, which should have allowed her to participate in the final stage. However, on September 24, she was unexpectedly disqualified during the screening exercise—a process she described as a sham, unlawful, and conducted in breach of Section 84 of the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.
Olawuni has also requested an interim injunction restraining the APC from concluding the primary or forwarding Governor Oyebanji’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the Ekiti governorship election.
The case has been assigned to Justice Peter Odo Lifu for hearing.