In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court confirmed Chief Thomas Ereyitomi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) representative for the Warri House of Representatives seat in the upcoming 2027 general elections. The court rejected a legal challenge filed by Dr. Ekpoto Emmanuel, a fellow aspirant who sought to overturn Ereyitomi’s nomination.
Emmanuel had argued that Ereyitomi was affiliated with the Nigeria Democratic Congress during the APC’s May 16, 2026, primary election. Based on this claim, the plaintiff asked the court to disqualify Ereyitomi and declare him the winner instead. Justice Umar, however, determined that the issue of party membership is strictly an internal administrative matter for the APC rather than a legal dispute for the court to decide.
The judge noted that the APC’s screening process, which cleared Ereyitomi to run, effectively settled questions regarding his eligibility. Furthermore, the Independent National Electoral Commission reported no record of dual membership for the defendant. With the plaintiff failing to refute evidence of Ereyitomi’s legitimate registration at the Ogidigben Ward, the court dismissed the case for lack of merit.
