Court Declares Abdulghani Arobo APC Candidate for Owo/Ose Reps Seat, Orders INEC to Upload Name

A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Abdulghani Arobo as the duly elected All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat in Ondo State, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and upload his name.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Arobo against the APC and INEC after the party’s primary election held on May 16, 2026. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/26, challenged the outcome and nomination process arising from the primary.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Peter Lifu held that Arobo lawfully emerged winner of the APC primary after polling the highest number of valid votes cast across the 23 wards in the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.

According to the court, Arobo secured 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area, giving him the majority of lawful votes cast in the exercise. The judge ruled that he is entitled to be declared the APC’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat in the forthcoming general election.

Justice Lifu ordered both the APC and INEC to immediately recognise, accept and deal only with Arobo as the valid winner of the primary election. The court also nullified any other declaration or nomination made by the party in respect of the constituency.

The judge further resolved all five issues raised by the plaintiff in his favour, holding that the evidence before the court supported his claim that he won the primary election in accordance with the law.

As part of the judgment, the court directed the APC to forward Arobo’s name to INEC as its official candidate for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency. It also restrained both the party and the electoral commission from recognising or dealing with any other person as the APC candidate for the seat.

In addition, the court ordered INEC to reopen its nomination portal to enable the removal of any previously submitted name and upload Abdulghani Arobo as the lawful APC candidate for the constituency ahead of the next general election.