Ondo APC ticket: Court reserves judgment in Ategbole, Adefarati dispute
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Federal High Court in Akure, Ondo State, has reserved judgment in a legal dispute over the All Progressives Congress ticket for the Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 elections.
The suit was filed by Dr. Victor Ategbole against the APC and Hon. Gboyega Adefarati following the party’s decision to recognise Adefarati as its candidate after the May 16, 2026, primary. Reports from the exercise indicated that Ategbole’s votes were invalidated after he was disqualified over screening issues, while Adefarati was declared the winner.
Justice Toyin Adegoke reserved judgment after hearing arguments from the counsels representing Ategbole, Adefarati, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the APC.
Ategbole, through his counsel, Dr. Remi Peter Olatubora, SAN, is challenging the authority of the APC National Working Committee to overturn the result initially declared by the party’s returning officer and substitute another candidate.
In the suit, marked FHC/A79/CS/59/2026, Ategbole asked the court to interpret relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC constitution and determine whether the party had the power to alter the result of the primary.
He also argued that he was screened and cleared to participate in the primary, relying on party documents and materials forwarded to INEC as evidence of his eligibility to contest the election.
Ategbole is seeking an order declaring him the lawful winner of the primary and directing the APC to issue him a Certificate of Return. He also asked the court to stop the party from submitting Adefarati’s name to INEC or, if it had already been submitted, to withdraw it and replace it with his.
However, Adefarati’s counsel, Abiola Olawoye Olaniji, opposed the suit, arguing that Ategbole had been disqualified from participating in the primary and that votes attributed to him could not form the basis of a valid declaration. Justice Adegoke subsequently reserved judgment, with the date to be communicated to the parties.
