A federal high court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the suit challenging the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in Ekiti and validated Oyebanji’s candidature.
Abimbola Olawunmi had challenged the screening and primary election process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the court.
She contested her disqualification during the party’s screening exercise, naming the APC, INEC, and Governor Oyebanji as defendants.
Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the case on two primary grounds.
He held that the selection and nomination of candidates are strictly internal affairs of a political party, and that a political party maintains the sole prerogative to determine the eligibility of its members.
He also held that the judiciary lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in such domestic matters.
The court also ruled that the plaintiff failed to file the case within the strict timeframe required by the Electoral Act, 2022. Because the suit was not initiated within the mandatory period for pre-election matters, it was deemed statute-barred.
