A serving lawmaker elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has instituted legal action against the ruling party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the disputed nomination ticket for a Benue State House of Assembly constituency seat.

The aggrieved legislator filed the suit at a Federal High Court, seeking judicial intervention to overturn the party’s decision regarding the primary election outcomes and candidate submission.

In the court filings, the plaintiff contends that the party leadership arbitrarily substituted his name with another aspirant despite having validly won the democratically conducted party primary.

The lawmaker is praying the court to issue a restraining order against INEC from recognizing or publishing the name of the alternative candidate presented by the APC for the upcoming legislative election.

Furthermore, the suit requests a formal court declaration affirming the plaintiff as the authentic candidate, asserting that the party’s action violated internal electoral guidelines, party constitution, and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Neither the APC leadership nor INEC has formally responded to the court process, with hearing dates expected to be assigned by the court in due course.