Senator Sunday Karimi has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Kogi West, overcoming a sustained and sometimes bitter internal contest across the seven local government areas of the district.
Karimi’s bid for a second term was marked by intense opposition from multiple quarters, including protests, public denunciations and internal party motions. Traditional authorities and youth groups were reported to have been mobilised against him, while party executives at times passed votes of no confidence. Karimi also faced several coordinated efforts to isolate him within the party, sources said.
Despite the pressure, Karimi maintained a low public profile for periods during the campaign but continued outreach to constituents. Supporters and several local stakeholders say his popularity at the grassroots grew steadily during that time.
Karimi’s backers point to a record of constituency projects and interventions as central to his re-election bid. The senator is credited with securing or facilitating a number of projects, including the ongoing N1.2 billion reconstruction of GSSS Koton Karfe, a computer‑based testing centre at Titcombe College Egbe (reported cost about N500 million, partly funded personally), and renewed work on the long-stalled Kabba–Ilorin road, a project valued at about N6 billion. He is also reported to have supported scholarships for some 4,000 students (estimated at N400 million), provided support to women’s cooperatives and market traders, sank more than 150 boreholes, and helped facilitate a N760 million military base.
Karimi, who first won the Kogi West Senate seat in 2023, has previously faced and overcome legal challenges to his election, including tribunal and court appeals. During recent reconciliation talks within the APC, party officials said much of the opposition to Karimi stemmed from disagreements over a rotation arrangement that some viewed as limiting merit-based selection.
With the APC ticket secured, attention now turns to the general election. Analysts and local political observers say Karimi’s prospects will depend on his ability to translate his record and intra‑party reconciliation into a broader campaign appeal ahead of the polls.
