ABUJA – The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Chief Thomas Ereyitomi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Warri Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general election.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar dismissed a suit filed by fellow APC aspirant, Dr. Ekpoto Emmanuel, who challenged Ereyitomi’s nomination and the submission of his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Dr. Emmanuel had asked the court to nullify Ereyitomi’s emergence as the APC candidate, alleging that he was simultaneously a member of the APC and the Nigeria Democracy Congress (NDC) when he participated in the party’s May 16 primary election. He further urged the court to disqualify Ereyitomi and declare him the lawful winner of the primary, having placed second in the contest.
In his ruling, Justice Umar held that the central issue raised by the plaintiff concerned party membership, which is an internal affair of a political party and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge further held that once the National Working Committee of a political party constitutes a screening committee, clears aspirants, and permits them to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms, any question regarding the party membership of a cleared aspirant cannot subsequently be challenged in court.
Justice Umar also noted that INEC, as the custodian of political party records, informed the court that it had no record indicating that Ereyitomi held dual party membership. He added that Ereyitomi had tendered evidence showing he registered as an APC member in Ogidigben Ward, Warri, and presented his temporary membership card, a claim that was not rebutted by the plaintiff.
The court concluded that the plaintiff’s claims were rooted entirely in issues relating to party membership, which the Supreme Court has consistently held to be matters of internal party administration.
Consequently, Justice Umar declared the suit non-justiciable, lacking in merit, and dismissed it, thereby affirming Chief Thomas Ereyitomi as the APC candidate for the Warri Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election.
