The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Senator Sunday Karimi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
Karimi represents Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly and seeking another term.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Salim Ibrahim, who declared Samuel Bamidele Aro the rightful winner of the APC senatorial primary election.
Aro had approached the court to challenge the APC’s decision to submit Karimi’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the 2027 election.
He maintained that he won the party’s primary conducted on May 18, 2026, but the APC submitted Karimi’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026.
In his judgment, Justice Ibrahim ruled that the primary election which produced Aro was conducted by the APC’s National Working Committee election committee and monitored by INEC.
However, the judge found that the exercise allegedly won by Karimi was not monitored by INEC and was therefore invalid.
The court ordered the APC to immediately submit Aro’s name to INEC as its candidate for Kogi West.
It also directed INEC to recognize and publish Aro’s name as the party’s lawful candidate.
Additionally, Karimi was restrained from presenting himself as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.
Reacting to the judgment, Karimi rejected the decision and vowed to appeal.
The senator argued that the judgment contradicted the evidence presented before the court. He also alleged that Aro did not participate in the primary election and questioned the documents submitted in support of his case.
Despite the ruling, Karimi insisted that he remained the APC candidate and vowed to continue his campaign.
He urged his supporters to remain calm as he pursued legal redress.
