NDC, INEC Sued Over Unannounced Anambra Reps Primary Result

A legal practitioner, Obunike Ohaegbu, has dragged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the party’s failure to declare and publish the result of its House of Representatives primary election in Anambra State.

The dispute concerns the Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, where the NDC conducted its primary election on May 29, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general election.

Ohaegbu, who participated in the primary, is claiming that he secured the highest number of lawful votes and should therefore be recognised as the party’s candidate for the constituency.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2026, names the NDC, Ebere Onunkwo, Socrates Ebo, INEC and Peter Uzokwe as defendants.

In his originating summons, Ohaegbu is asking the court to determine whether his alleged victory at the primary makes him the validly elected and nominated NDC candidate for the constituency.

A central issue in the case is the alleged failure of the party to announce and publish the primary result after the voting process had been completed.

Ohaegbu is also challenging an alleged directive that the result should not be announced at the venue of the primary but instead be declared at the party’s national headquarters.

He wants the court to determine whether such a directive could lawfully be used to prevent the declaration of the result or allow the eventual candidate to be changed.

Another aspect of the suit concerns the recognition of Peter Uzokwe as the party’s candidate. Ohaegbu is challenging the process through which Uzokwe was allegedly recognised and is asking the court to determine whether he, rather than Uzokwe, emerged from the primary as the lawful winner.

Among the reliefs sought, the plaintiff wants the court to declare him the validly elected and nominated candidate of the NDC for the federal constituency.

He is also asking for an order directing the party to formally declare and return him as the winner of the primary.

The lawyer further wants the court to restrain the NDC from substituting him with another candidate and compel the party to submit his name and particulars to INEC as its nominated candidate.

Another relief seeks to prevent INEC from accepting, recognising or publishing the name of any other person as the NDC candidate for the constituency if the court determines that Ohaegbu lawfully won the primary.

This case was listed for hearing on Monday but could not proceed after the court found that the second, third and fifth defendants had not been served with the mandatory hearing notice.
Counsel to Ohaegbu, Ifeanyi Nrialike, confirmed that the relevant court processes had been filed and exchanged.

The court subsequently directed that hearing notices be served on the absent defendants.

The judge adjourned the matter until October 14, 2026, when the case is expected to come up for hearing, subject to proof that all parties have been properly served.

The outcome of the case could determine whether Ohaegbu is recognised as the NDC’s candidate or whether the party’s existing position regarding the nomination stands.