By Attah Ede
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, admitted that former governor Gabriel Suswam won the last primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate its candidate for the Benue North East Senatorial District.
INEC’s lawyer, Anthony Malik (SAN), made the admission while making submissions at the hearing of a suit filed by Suswam, in which he is challenging the APC’s decision to hand the ticket to the incumbent senator, Emmanuel Udenbe.
Suswam, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026, claimed to have won the primary and urged the court, among other things, to compel the APC to accord him the necessary recognition.
Making his final submission on Thursday, Malik urged the court to do justice in the case and affirm the result of the primary election, which shows that the plaintiff won.
He further disclosed that copies of INEC’s report on the primary election and the result of the exercise had been exhibited before the court.
Earlier, Suswam’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), prayed the court to grant all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff in the suit.
Okutepa urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objections filed by the APC and Udenbe, arguing that they were without merit.
Counsel to the APC, A. G. Yirvoms, urged the court to uphold his client’s objection and dismiss the suit.
Udenbe’s lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), made a similar submission and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter until October 12 for judgment.
Justice Ekwo stated that the parties would be notified if the judgment became ready before the October date.
