APC group insists Karimi won Kogi West senatorial primary
By Adeola Badru
The Win With Tinubu (WWT) Grassroots Mobilisation Programme in Kogi State has reaffirmed that Senator Sunday Steve Karimi remains the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the upcoming 2027 general elections, despite a recent Federal High Court ruling that invalidated his candidacy.
According to WWT, the results from the May 18, 2026, APC senatorial primary were reviewed and confirmed by the party’s appeal committee. Following this review, Karimi’s name was submitted to and published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s official candidate.
WWT stated that Karimi’s legal team has initiated steps to contest the court’s ruling at the appellate court. The organization’s position was detailed in a statement issued Wednesday by State Programme Coordinator Sani Philips, in response to a judgment delivered by Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim in a case brought by Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro against Karimi.
The WWT argued that the court’s decision should not negate the results of the party’s internal electoral process, asserting that APC delegates in Kogi West elected Karimi during the primary. The group noted that the primary process had been clouded by controversy, as Aro’s name was reportedly submitted as the winner, despite his absence from the event.
The statement indicated that the party’s appeal committee had previously reviewed the primary process and upheld Karimi’s victory. “While we respect the ruling, we see it as a distraction and an attempt to undermine the mandate given to Senator Sunday Steve Karimi by APC members in Kogi West during the primaries,” the statement read.
WWT further questioned aspects of the ruling, claiming it diverged from established legal principles. The organization maintains that Karimi’s status as the party’s nominated candidate remains valid while the appeal is underway.
“Senator Sunday Steve Karimi is the authentic, duly nominated and validly elected candidate of our party for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, pending a determination by the appellate court,” the statement emphasized.
In recounting the primary’s dispute, the group reiterated that Aro’s name had previously been wrongfully reported as the winner. They maintained that following the appeal committee’s intervention, Karimi’s victory was affirmed, and his name was forwarded to INEC.
WWT also challenged the court’s interpretation of the primary, asserting it did not accurately reflect the process managed by party officials. The organization called on APC supporters and grassroots mobilizers across Kogi State to remain calm as the appellate court addresses the issue.
Beyond the ongoing legal proceedings, WWT announced it would continue its grassroots mobilization throughout the state to garner support for President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections. Backed by Senator Karimi, the group confirmed its ward-level engagements would proceed, highlighting Karimi’s role as a key mobilizer for Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Kogi State.
WWT expressed confidence in a timely resolution from the appellate court while reiterating that political activities in Kogi West would persist despite the current litigation.
