—Akingboye sues APC, Ojogo
A legal dispute has opened a new front in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as some aspirants loyal to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa have challenged the party’s decisions on the national Assembly primary elections in court.
The cases, filed against the APC, INEC and some candidates, are testing the party’s decision to adopt direct primaries for the May 16, 2026 exercise.
Sources within the party claimed that several of the aspirants now in court benefited from financial backing for their nomination forms from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s camp.
In a bid to douse tensions, Gov. Aiyedatiwa has asked the state APC Chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, to inaugurate a reconciliation committee.
OSOPADEC Chairman, Prince Biyi Poroye, will lead the panel to mediate between aggrieved members and the party leadership.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, Pastor Akingboye Akinleke David is contesting the emergence of Hon. Donald Ojogo as the APC flagbearer for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.
Filed on July 15, 2026, suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1538/2026 lists the APC, INEC and Ojogo as defendants. Counsel to the plaintiff is Dr. Remi Peter Olatubora, SAN.
Akingboye is asking the court to decide if the APC can forward to INEC a name that did not win the direct primary, and whether INEC can accept such nomination under the Constitution, Electoral Act 2026, and party guidelines.
He is seeking a court declaration that only the candidate with the highest votes in the primary should stand as the party’s nominee.
Ojogo, when contacted on the court matter declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
But a Chieftain of the party 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.
He also acknowledged complaints of irregularities allegedly involving some of the governor’s supporters and members of the primary committee. No hearing date has been fixed by the Federal High court in Abuja.
