Edo Assembly Aspirant, Victor Giwa, Drags APC to Court Over Esan South Primary
An aspirant for the Esan South Constituency seat in the Edo State House of Assembly, Barrister Victor Giwa, has instituted an action before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, seeking to nullify the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the constituency.
In the suit filed on May 29, 2026, and marked ABJ/FHC/C’S/1078/26, Giwa prayed the court to restrain Chief Sunday Oseizua Ojiezele, who was declared winner of the primary, from parading himself as the APC candidate for the 2027 general election.
Represented by his counsel, Mr. Patrick Ocheja Okolo, SAN, Giwa contended that the primary election was riddled with irregularities and failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the APC constitution.
The defendants in the suit are Chief Ojiezele (1st Respondent), the APC (2nd Respondent), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (3rd Respondent).
Giwa is seeking, among other reliefs: “An order restraining the 1st Respondent from parading himself as candidate of the 2nd Respondent for the Edo State House of Assembly’s seat in the 2027 General election in Edo State, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“An order restraining the 3rd Respondent from accepting, recognizing publishing the name of the 1st Respondent as the 2nd Respondent’s candidate for the Edo State House of Assembly Election in 2027 General election of Edo State pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“An order directing all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum as at 19th May 2026.”
In laying the foundation for his case, Giwa averred that he duly participated in the primary exercise conducted at the ward level and the LGA secretariat of Esan South East Constituency. He alleged that the APC neither conducted a valid primary nor adopted a consensus candidate, but instead allocated figures to Ojiezele and declared him as consensus candidate.
According to Giwa, despite votes cast in his favour in wards 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10 of Esan South East LGA, the APC allocated “zero votes” against his name. He further argued that Ojiezele did not emerge from any valid primary or consensus arrangement of the party.
