Former Senator representing the Ekiti North Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Arise, has confirmed that he has filed a court action challenging the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for the district, insisting that he lawfully won the exercise.
Speaking in an interview in Ado-Ekiti, Arise said he approached the court immediately after the primary in line with the timelines stipulated in the Electoral Act, adding that he was therefore not surprised when his name was omitted from the party’s list of candidates.
He maintained that the suit was not driven by personal ambition but by the need to ensure that political parties comply with their own rules and uphold democratic principles.
According to him, he filed the suit within the legally prescribed period to preserve his right to seek judicial redress, arguing that waiting for subsequent announcements by the party would have rendered any legal action statute-barred.
Arise alleged that many aspirants were misled into waiting for declarations by the party’s national leadership despite provisions in the APC guidelines outlining the procedure for concluding the primary process.
He argued that the party failed to adhere to its own guidelines in conducting the senatorial primary.
“I went ahead and filed my case in court because I knew what was coming. That is why I was not surprised at the outcome. This is not about me; it is about ensuring that we have a system that works for everybody,” he said.
“I believe many people were carried away by statements that only the national officers could announce the winners, whereas the party guidelines clearly stated the procedure. There was more than met the eye, and I was careful not to fall into that trap.
“The court is now the arbiter. It will determine whether the guidelines released by the party were followed. Once rules are made, they must be obeyed. If they are violated, there must be a place where justice can be sought, and that place is the court.
“My name was omitted. I wasn’t cleared despite presenting my complaints and evidence during the appeal process. For anyone not to see what happened, it must have been deliberate. There appeared to be a written script.
“The only thing I went to court for is the primary election that I won. We conducted the election, the results were announced at the appropriate level and I emerged victorious. The court will determine who is right.
“If anyone decides to file now, that person would already be out of time. My lawyer understood the law, and we filed within the required timeline.
“I believe there are men and women of integrity on the bench. I have confidence in the judiciary, and I believe I will get my ticket back because I won massively.
“We have a process and we are following it. Nobody should worry. I believe justice will prevail.”
(The Whistler)
