A legal practitioner, Obunike Calistus Ohaegbu, has filed a lawsuit against the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) at the Federal High Court in Abuja, demanding that the party declare him the winner of its primary election for the Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in Anambra State. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/26, was instituted following the NDC’s refusal to announce the results of the May 2026 primary election, which was held to nominate a candidate for the 2027 general elections. Ohaegbu claims he won the primary by securing the majority of lawful votes cast and alleges that the party secretly adopted Dr Ebere Onunkwo as its candidate, violating internal guidelines.
In the suit, Ohaegbu named five defendants: the NDC as the first defendant, Dr Ebere Onunkwo as the second, Dr Socrates Ebo as the third, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the fourth, and Mr Peter Uzokwe as the fifth. He is seeking several court orders, including one compelling the NDC to officially declare him the winner of the primary election. He also wants the court to direct the party to submit his name and particulars to INEC as its duly nominated candidate for the federal constituency.
Additionally, Ohaegbu is praying for an injunction restraining the NDC, its officers, agents, or associates from recognizing or submitting any other person as the party’s candidate for the same constituency. He further seeks an order preventing INEC from accepting, publishing, or acting on the nomination of any candidate other than himself as the NDC’s representative for Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo. These legal demands stem from his belief that the party’s actions undermined the integrity of the electoral process within the party.
During proceedings on Monday, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar adjourned the hearing after discovering that the second, third, and fifth defendants had not been served with mandatory hearing notices and were absent from court. Although counsel for the plaintiff, Ifeanyi Nrilike, confirmed that all necessary processes had been exchanged between parties, the judge insisted on proper service of notices before proceeding. As a result, the case was adjourned to October 14, with the court requiring evidence that all defendants had been properly notified before the next date.
This legal battle highlights growing tensions within the NDC over internal party elections and candidate selection processes. It also underscores the increasing use of judicial mechanisms by aspirants to challenge perceived irregularities in party primaries. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how political parties handle nominations and whether they can be compelled by courts to respect electoral outcomes within their structures. The case remains closely watched as it unfolds in the coming weeks.
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