A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to accept any candidate presented by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Imo East Senatorial District. This decision follows a dispute over the party's primary election process. The court's ruling was delivered by Justice I. N. Oweibo in a suit filed by five senatorial aspirants who challenged the process through which the party's candidate for the Owerri Zone senatorial seat emerged.
The five plaintiffs were among aspirants who purchased the party's expression of interest forms and underwent screening ahead of the exercise. They contended that despite participating in the preliminary processes and allegedly paying N20 million each as development fee, the NDC failed to conduct a valid primary election to select its candidate for the senatorial district. As a result, the party's candidacy for the Imo East senatorial seat has been put in jeopardy ahead of the January 16, 2027 National Assembly election.
The NDC had submitted the name of former Secretary to the Imo State Government and former House of Representatives member, Uche Onyeaguocha, to INEC as its candidate for Imo East. INEC subsequently published his name among candidates for the election. However, the court's judgment has introduced a fresh legal hurdle for the opposition party barely four months to the National Assembly election. Onyeaguocha, a lawyer and former federal lawmaker, represented Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.
In his judgment, Justice Oweibo held that the party did not conduct a primary election for Imo East in accordance with the required process. The court consequently ordered INEC not to accept a candidate presented by the NDC for the senatorial district on the basis of the disputed process. This ruling has significant implications for the NDC's participation in the upcoming National Assembly election.
Onyeaguocha also served as Secretary to the Imo State Government during the administration of former governor Emeka Ihedioha. He contested the Imo East senatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 but lost to Ezenwa Onyewuchi, who contested on the platform of the Labour Party. The latest judgment arose from the NDC's process for selecting its candidate for the same senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 election.
The court's decision is a setback for the NDC, which had been preparing for the election with Onyeaguocha as its candidate. The party will need to revisit its candidate selection process and ensure that it follows the required procedures to avoid further legal challenges. The judgment also highlights the importance of adhering to due process in the selection of candidates for elections.
The case is a reminder of the critical role that the judiciary plays in ensuring that political parties comply with the law in the conduct of their internal affairs. The court's ruling has upheld the principles of fairness and transparency in the electoral process, and it is expected that all parties will comply with the judgment.
Key points
- The court's ruling has put the candidacy of Uche Onyeaguocha in jeopardy ahead of the January 16, 2027 National Assembly election.
- The NDC failed to conduct a valid primary election to select its candidate for the Imo East senatorial district.
- The court's decision has introduced a fresh legal hurdle for the opposition party barely four months to the National Assembly election.
