Samuel Aro is now the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District for the 2027 general election. The Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the nomination of Senator Sunday Karimi to make this change. In Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/63/2026, Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered the APC to replace Karimi’s name with that of Samuel Aro. The court recognized Aro as the winner of the party’s primary election held on May 18, 2026.
Court Replaces Karimi With Aro
Ruling on Primary Election Validity
Samuel Aro challenged the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission on July 11, 2026. Aro argued that the primary election that produced his own candidacy was the exercise recognized by INEC. He claimed the process that favored Karimi lacked monitoring by the electoral commission as mandated by the Electoral Act.
Justice Ibrahim ruled the primary that produced Karimi was invalid due to lack of oversight. INEC held no record of the results presented by the APC and Karimi. The commission had not issued certified true copies of those results to Karimi despite his request. Consequently, the judge declared the APC’s submission of Karimi’s name to INEC to be null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
The court order restrains Karimi from holding himself out as the party’s candidate. It prohibits the APC from presenting his name to INEC. The commission has been directed to accept, recognise and publish
Aro as the APC’s candidate for the district.
Karimi Plans Appeal
Internal Party Reactions
Senator Karimi vowed to challenge the decision. He insists he remains the party’s flag bearer. It is clear that the judgment runs contrary to the evidence before the court,
Karimi stated. He urged his supporters to remain calm as he pursues legal redress.
Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, a prominent APC chieftain in Lokoja and a former supporter of Karimi, urged the senator to accept the decision. He asked Karimi to support Aro. I am one of his supporters, but it’s obvious the party’s interest is supreme to that of any individual,
Ibrahim said. My loyalty henceforth is with Sam Aro, the next senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Ibrahim Urges Party Unity
Ibrahim dismissed speculation that the APC could not win the district without Karimi. He asserted the party is capable of winning on its own. He encouraged other party members to rally behind Aro. He encouraged supporters to rally behind Aro. He described the candidate as a tested and credible individual. He urged Karimi to support all APC candidates across the board, from the presidency to the state assembly.
The court made no order as to costs, directing all parties involved to bear their own legal expenses. The case was originally filed in Lokoja on July 23, 2026. It was transferred to the Abuja division by the chief judge on September 9, 2026.
Legal challenge proceedings | Calls for party unity | Court judgment details