The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed November 19, 2026, for judgment in a suit challenging the emergence of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Kogi Central.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo fixed the date on Monday after counsel representing the parties adopted their final written arguments in the case.
The suit was filed by Momoh Yusuf Obaro, an APC senatorial aspirant in Kogi Central, who claimed to have won the party’s May 18, 2026, primary election.
Obaro listed the APC, Bello and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants and asked the court to recognise him as the party’s lawful candidate for the senatorial election.
He also sought an order directing the APC to forward his name to INEC and compelling the electoral commission to accept and publish his name as the APC candidate for Kogi Central.
However, Bello urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the claims made by the plaintiff were unfounded.
The former governor maintained that he won the primary after securing 72,399 votes, while Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke came second with 319 votes and Obaro polled 188 votes.
Bello described the plaintiff’s claims as misleading and argued that the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/2026, was defective because it was not supported by an affidavit as required by law.
After hearing the submissions of lawyers representing the parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until November 19, when judgment is expected to be delivered.
