APC challenges court judgment, files stay of execution in Owo/Ose ticket tussle

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—As INEC retains Adelegbe as party candidate

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By Dayo Johnson Akure

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has retained Hon. Timehin Adelegbe as the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency pending the determination of an appeal.

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Its decision follows the APC’s filing of a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which declared another aspirant, Abdulghani Rotimi Arobo, as the party’s candidate.

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In a letter dated August 6, 2026, addressed to the INEC Chairman and signed by A.G. Yirvoms Ayuba of Sozo Attorneys, the party notified the commission of the appeal.

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“We wish to formally notify the Commission that the 1st Defendant has today, the 6th day of August, 2026, filed a Notice of Appeal at the Registry of the Federal High Court, Abuja, expressing its dissatisfaction with the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Peter O. Lifu on the 5th of August, 2026,” the letter read.

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“Furthermore, please be informed that we have also filed a Motion for Stay of Execution of the said judgment pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.”

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The party urged INEC to “stay all actions regarding the enforcement of the orders contained in the judgment” and “maintain the status quo until the judicial processes now pending before the Court are resolved.”

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Copies of the Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution were attached to the letter. The Ondo State Electoral Commissioner was also notified.

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A reliable party source in the APC Secretariat said that INEC had continued to recognise Adelegbe as the candidate pending the appeal.

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“As things stand, Hon. Timehin Adelegbe remains the candidate recognised by the commission pending the final determination of the appeal,” the source said.

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The source added that the APC had commenced an internal investigation into the result relied upon by the Federal High Court in declaring Arobo the winner.

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“The party is investigating the result the plaintiff claimed showed he scored 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area.

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” There are questions over how the result sheet was obtained and the circumstances surrounding its emergence,” the source said.

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The party is also reviewing whether the document presented in court emanated from its official records.

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Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on August 5 declared Arobo as the APC candidate for Owo/Ose after holding that he won the party’s primary election.

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The APC has since challenged the judgment at the Court of Appeal, expressing confidence that the appellate court will resolve the legal and factual issues in dispute.

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