A legal practitioner, Obunike Calistus Ohaegbu, has filed a suit against the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and other defendants over the party's alleged refusal to announce the result of the primary election for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/26, was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The plaintiff claims that he participated in the primary election conducted in May 2026 and scored the majority of the lawful votes cast.
The plaintiff, Obunike Calistus Ohaegbu, asserts that despite winning the primary election, the NDC refused to declare the result at the venue and instead secretly adopted Ebere Onunkwo as the nominated candidate for the federal constituency. This, he claims, is in breach of the party's guidelines for the primary election. The plaintiff is seeking an order directing the NDC to declare him the winner of the primary election.
The plaintiff is also seeking another order compelling the NDC to submit and upload his name and particulars to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its duly nominated candidate for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency. Additionally, he applied for an order restraining the NDC from submitting or recognising any other person as its candidate for the constituency.
The plaintiff also prayed the court for an order restraining INEC from accepting, recognising, publishing or acting upon the name of any person other than the plaintiff as the candidate of the party for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency. The suit lists the NDC, Dr Ebere Onunkwo, Dr Socrates Ebo, INEC, and Mr Peter Uzokwe as defendants.
At Monday's proceedings, hearing could not go on due to the absence of some defendants. The court discovered that the second, third, and fifth defendants had not been served with the mandatory hearing notice and were not in court. Counsel to the plaintiff confirmed that the parties had filed and exchanged the necessary processes.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar directed that hearing notices be served on those who were not in court for them to be present in court. The judge consequently fixed October 14 for hearing of the suit and ordered that there must be evidence that hearing notices had been served on all the parties before the adjourned date.
The outcome of the suit will determine who will be recognised as the NDC's candidate for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election. The court's decision will also have implications for the party's internal democracy and the electoral process in Nigeria.
Key points
- The NDC's alleged refusal to announce the primary result has led to a legal battle.
- The plaintiff, Obunike Calistus Ohaegbu, claims he won the primary election but was not declared the winner.
- The court has adjourned the hearing to October 14, pending the service of hearing notices on all parties.
