The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has claimed that former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Benue Northeast Senatorial District.
The commission’s lawyer, Anthony Malik (SAN), stated this at the hearing of a suit filed by Suswam on Wednesday.
In the suit, the former governor challenged the APC’s decision to hand over the ticket to Senator Emmanuel Udenbe.
Suswam, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026, claimed to have won the primary and urged the court to, among others, compel the APC to accord him the necessary recognition.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the APC, Udenbe and INEC.
Making his final submission , Malik urged the court to do justice in the case and affirm the result of the primary election, which shows that the plaintiff won .
The senior lawyer added that copies of INEC’s report of the primary election and its result have been exhibited before the court.
Earlier, Suswam’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) prayed the court to grant all the reliefs as sought by the plaintiff in the suit.
Okutepa urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objections by APC and Udenbe, arguing that they are without merit.
Lawyer to the APC, A. G. Yirvoms, urged the court to uphold the objection his client filed and dismiss the suit.
Udenbe’s lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), spoke similarly and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till October 12 for judgment.
Justice Ekwo said parties would be notified if the judgment becomes ready before the October date.