The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed November 19, 2026, to deliver judgment in a suit challenging the emergence of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Kogi Central senatorial election.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo fixed the date on Monday after lawyers involved in the case presented their final arguments before the court.
The suit was filed by Momoh Yusuf Obaro, an APC senatorial aspirant in Kogi Central, who is challenging the outcome of the party’s primary election held on May 18.
Obaro joined the APC, Bello and the Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants in the case. He is asking the court to declare him the lawful winner of the primary and direct the APC to submit his name to INEC as its candidate for the senatorial election.
The aspirant also wants the court to order INEC to recognise him as the APC candidate for Kogi Central and publish his name in line with the relevant electoral requirements.
Bello, however, has asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the claims made by the plaintiff are not supported by the facts and legal requirements.
In his response, the former governor said he won the APC primary with 72,399 votes. He stated that Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke finished second with 319 votes, while Obaro came third with 188 votes.
Bello maintained that the claims made by Obaro were unfounded and should not be relied upon by the court.
The former governor also challenged the legal basis of the case, which is numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/2026. He argued that the suit was defective because it was not accompanied by an affidavit as required under the law.
The court heard the arguments presented by lawyers representing the parties before Justice Ekwo reserved November 19 for judgment.
The judgment will determine the legal challenge to Bello’s emergence as the APC’s candidate for the Kogi Central senatorial contest.