An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency, Pastor David Akinleke Akingboye, has dragged Hon Donald Ojogo, the candidate of the party, to court over the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) on the contentious primaries.

Akingboye from Ilaje Local Government was one of the consensus aspirants backed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the party’s tickets in the last primary elections held across different constituencies in the state.

The suits, filed against the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some of the party’s National Assembly candidates, are the latest twist in the aftermath of the contentious primaries.

While legal actions were being initiated, the state Chairman of APC, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, has constituted a reconciliation committee headed by the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Prince Biyi Poroye, to address grievances arising from the primaries.

Akingboye, in his suit at a Federal High Court in Abuja, challenged the nomination of Hon. Donald Ojogo as the APC candidate for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1538/2026, Akingboye joined the APC, INEC and Ojogo as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

The originating summons, dated July 15, 2026, was filed by his counsel, Dr. Remi Peter Olatubora (SAN).

The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether, having adopted the direct primary mode of selecting candidates, the APC can lawfully nominate and submit to INEC the name of an aspirant who allegedly did not emerge as the winner of the primary election conducted on May 16, 2026, for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

He also wanted the court to determine whether INEC can validly accept the name of such an aspirant as the party’s candidate under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and the APC Constitution and Guidelines for the nomination of candidates.

Among the reliefs sought is a declaration that only the aspirant who polled the highest number of votes at the APC primary election can be validly nominated as the party’s candidate for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

Ojogo declined to speak on the matter, saying it was already before the court. However, a party chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the party was aware of irregularities allegedly committed by some supporters of the governor in collaboration with members of the primary election committee during the exercise.

The source, however, maintained that the National Working Committee’s decision was based on the report of the party’s appeal committee after considering petitions submitted by aggrieved aspirants.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

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