Okitipupa/Irele APC primary: INEC, party officials testify in Daramola’s suit

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Federal High Court in Abuja has heard evidence from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a suit challenging the party’s primary election for the Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency of Ondo State.

The case, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, followed a legal challenge to the conduct of the primary and the subsequent recognition of Hon. Jimi Odimayo as the candidate for the constituency.

During court proceedings, an INEC representative testified that the commission monitored the APC primary and received the result declaring Dr. Olumuyiwa Daramola the winner. The electoral body also tendered a certified true copy of the result as evidence.

Similarly, the Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Election Committee for Ondo State, Harry Iboroma, appeared before the court and said he announced the result after the votes cast by the aspirants had been collated.

Iboroma also affirmed in an affidavit that the valid votes recorded during the exercise produced Dr. Daramola as the winner. The collation officer, Wale Ogunmade, subsequently presented the breakdown of the votes to the court.

According to the Collation Officer, Hon. Wale Ogunmade, Daramola secured 6,547 votes to defeat the incumbent lawmaker, Jimi Odimayo, who polled 827 votes. Video footage of the result announcement was also played during the proceedings.

The evidence presented centred on the validity of the primary and the events that followed, particularly the controversy over the candidate recognised by the APC. Daramola instituted the suit after challenging the party’s decision to affirm Odimayo as its candidate.

After hearing the evidence and submissions of the parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case for judgment and ruling. Subsequently, the court fixed October 19, 2026, for delivery of its decision.