By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
The decision by Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sunday Steve Karimi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Kogi West Senatorial ticket has once again thrust the party’s internal affairs into the public domain. Every Nigerian has the constitutional right to seek judicial interpretation of political disputes. However, litigation should not become an avenue for rewriting political realities that have already been settled through due process.
The facts surrounding the APC primary election are largely in the public domain. The primary conducted on May 18, 2026 produced Senator Sunday Steve Karimi with 51,665 votes, a landslide victory across Kogi West Senatorial District. That figure was officially announced by the party’s returning officer,Hon. Haruna Isah and has never been disputed by any alternative vote tally.
More importantly, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, after considering petitions arising from the exercise, affirmed Senator Karimi as the party’s duly nominated candidate and transmitted his name to INEC through the commission’s nomination portal. That administrative process followed the party’s internal mechanisms for resolving disputes.
The claim that Hon. Aro never withdrew from the contest also raises legitimate questions because available records indicate that before the primary election, he communicated his decision to step down. In the widely circulated withdrawal letter, he stated in part that he had resolved to withdraw from the race in the overall interest of the party and to promote unity among APC members in Kogi West. Whether that letter will form part of the court proceedings is for the judiciary to determine, but it remains a significant piece of the political history surrounding the primary.
Political contests are ultimately decided by delegates and party procedures. Senator Karimi’s overwhelming score of 51,665 votes was not a narrow or controversial margin; it reflected broad support from party delegates across the seven local government areas of Kogi West. Such an emphatic mandate should not be dismissed without compelling legal evidence.
Beyond the primary election itself, Senator Karimi has remained one of the most visible lawmakers representing Kogi West. His constituency interventions in education through scholarships, establishment of ICT and JAMB CBT facilities, youth empowerment initiatives, healthcare support, security interventions, employment opportunities and community development projects have strengthened his political standing among constituents. While political popularity alone cannot determine legal rights, it explains why many party stakeholders rallied behind his candidature.
The judiciary deserves the respect and patience of all parties. It is now the proper forum to interpret the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, the APC Constitution and the party’s nomination guidelines. Until a competent court decides otherwise, Senator Karimi remains the candidate recognised by his party and submitted to INEC.
Democracy flourishes when contestants respect both the ballot and the rule of law. Courtrooms are meant to clarify genuine legal disputes, not substitute the clear expression of delegates’ choices. Whatever the final judgment, it should reinforce internal party democracy rather than undermine the credibility of primary elections.
As Kogi West prepares for the 2027 general election, party leaders and supporters should avoid inflammatory rhetoric and allow the judicial process to run its course. Political disagreements are inevitable, but preserving party unity and respecting democratic institutions remain essential for the stability of both the APC and Nigeria’s democracy.
– Musa Tanimu Nasidi writes from Lokoja.
