The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, emerged as the winner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the Benue North East Senatorial District.
INEC stated its position during proceedings in a suit instituted by Suswam over the APC’s decision to recognise incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udenbe as its candidate despite the outcome of the primary election.
Suswam, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026, is asking the court to recognise him as the validly elected candidate of the APC for the senatorial district.
The former governor joined the APC, Udenbe and INEC as defendants in the suit.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to INEC, Anthony Malik, SAN, told the court that documents relating to the conduct of the primary indicated that Suswam won the exercise.
Malik urged the court to determine the dispute in accordance with the result of the primary election, maintaining that the electoral body had placed before the court its report on the exercise, as well as the result.
He consequently asked the court to uphold the outcome showing Suswam as the winner of the primary.
Suswam’s counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, also urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by his client.
Okutepa asked the court to reject the preliminary objections raised against the suit by the APC and Udenbe, arguing that the objections lacked merit.
However, counsel to the APC, A. G. Yirvoms, asked the court to uphold the party’s preliminary objection and dismiss Suswam’s case.
Suswam is challenging the decision of the APC to hand its Benue North East senatorial ticket to Udenbe despite his claim that he won the party’s primary election.
The court has scheduled judgment in the matter for October 12.