Innocent Ojike, an aspirant for the 2027 Anambra House of Assembly, has dragged the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to court over declaration of Kosisochukwu Ibemesi as the winner of Oyi Constituency primary election.
Ojike, in a suit filed by his lawyer, Reuben Atabo (SAN) also joined Ibemesi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st and 3rd defendants.
In the writ of summons filed at the Federal High Court, marked: FHC/AWK/CS/173/2026, the aggrieved aspirant said he scored the highest number of lawful votes cast during the primary poll held on May 23.
The plaintiff, in the suit dated and filed on June 4 by Atabo, therefore, sought 12 reliefs.
Ojike claimed that he scored the highest number of lawful votes cast of 3,524 and was duly declared and returned as winner of the Oyi State Constituency Primary Election on May 23 by the legally recognisable Returning Officer, Dr Nnewaluem James.
He said that he was the rightful and lawful candidate of the 2nd defendant (APGA) for the general elections.”
He said this is in accordance with the clear and express provisions of Section 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
He sought “an order nullifying or setting aside the purported declaration made on the 25th day of May, 2026, by the 2nd defendant (APGA) of the 1st defendant (Ibemesi)’s name as winner of the Primary Election for the Oyi State Constituency.”
He prayed the court to make an order of mandatory injunction directing his party to forthwith submit his name and for INEC to forthwith accept, publish and recognise him as APGA candidate for the Oyi Constituency for the 2027 general elections.
Ojike, who currently represents the constituency in the Anambra House of Assembly, also sought an order awarding the sum of N100 million as exemplary damages against Ibemesi and APGA.
Besides, he sought an order awarding another sum of N100 million as cost of the suit against the 1st and 2nd defendants.
The case is yet to be assigned to a judge.