INEC tells court Suswam won Benue North East APC senatorial primary

The Independent National Electoral Commission has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that former Benue governor Gabriel Suswam won the All Progressives Congress primary for the Benue North East Senatorial District.

The commission's counsel, Anthony Malik, made the statement during the hearing of a suit filed by Suswam, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026, in which he asks the court to recognise him as the party's validly elected candidate. The suit challenges the decision of the APC to award the senatorial ticket to the incumbent, Senator Emmanuel Udende. The party, Udende and the commission are listed as defendants.

Malik said the documents relating to the conduct of the primary, including the commission's report on the exercise, showed that Suswam won, and asked the court to determine the dispute in line with that result. The court has fixed judgment for 12 October. The outcome will decide which of two prominent figures carries the governing party's banner in a district that covers the Sankera and Jemgbagh areas of northern Benue State at the next senatorial election.