Business & Economy

Imo senatorial seat dispute: Court summons APC legal adviser in Ararume’s suit The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday summoned Murtala-Aliyu Kankia, the National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC), to appear before it and clarify the issue of legal representation in a suit filed by Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ararume, in the suit, sued APC, Sen. Patrick Ndubueze and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over dispute on the valid candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District. Justice Salim Ibrahim issued the summons on the APC legal adviser after two lawyers announced their appearance for the party. When the case was called, Taminu Inuwa, SAN, and Oluwaseun Alabi told the court they were in court to represent APC. But Justice Ibrahim held that it was necessary to resolve the issue of representation before proceeding with the substantive matter. The judge also ordered parties in the matter to refrain from taking any steps that would render the res (subject matter) nugatory. Justice Ibrahim specifically directed INEC, represented by Alhassan Umar, SAN, not to do anything that would destroy the res. He thereafter ordered parties to file and exchange their processes by Aug. 7 ahead of the next adjourned date fixed for Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. At Wednesday’s proceedings, Prof. Paul Chibuike Ananaba, SAN, represented Sen. Ndubueze, the 2nd defendant in the suit. NAN relorts that Ararume, in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1569/2026, is seeking an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the APC’s candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District for the 2027 general elections. He is also seeking an injunction, restraining Ndubueze from parading himself as the party’s candidate for the seat. In addition, Araraume, through his counsel, George Ibrahim, SAN, is asking the court to set aside the purported uploading of Ndubueze’s name by INEC on its portal on July 11 as the APC’s candidate for the district. He equally sought an order directing INEC to instead upload his own name as the party’s candidate for the 2027 polls. His originating summons was brought pursuant to Section 6(6)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution, Sections 84(1) and 88(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, and Articles 20(ii)(a) and (iii) of the APC Constitution. The aggrieved aspirant posed two questions for the court’s determination.

  The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday summoned Murtala-Aliyu Kankia, the National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC), to appear before…