Senatorial Aspirant Drags NDC, INEC To Court

A senatorial aspirant, Isaac Nwachukwu, has Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, over the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primaries.

Nwachukwu, in the suit filed through his counsel, Cajethan Oguzie, accused the NDC of denying him the Imo North senatorial ticket after he allegedly emerged as the consensus candidate of the party.

He also claimed that he paid ₦5 million for the nomination form and another ₦20 million as support for the party.

In an affidavit supporting the originating summons, Nwachukwu said he purchased the expression of interest form to contest for the Imo North senatorial seat in the 2027 general election.

He further stated that he made a contribution of ₦20 million into the party’s FCMB account to support its growth.

According to him, trouble started when the ₦20 million he paid was allegedly credited to another aspirant, Matthew Omegara, while Omegara’s ₦10 million contribution was allocated to him.

“The first sign of irregularity and non-compliance with the NDC constitution and Electoral Act came up when the ₦20m I paid for party support was allocated to one of the aspirants for my Senatorial District by the name Matthew Omegara, and the ₦10m that Matthew Omegara paid for party support was allocated to me by the Screening Committee headed by Sam Egwu and Buba Galadimma,” the affidavit stated.

Nwachukwu said he complied with the party’s directives, participated in the screening exercise and was cleared to contest the primary election.

“In compliance with NDC’s directives, I participated in the NDC screening exercise and was successfully cleared as an aspirant to participate in the primary election,” he said.

He alleged that after his consensus candidacy was ratified, his name was shortlisted as the party’s candidate for Imo North Senatorial District.

“After my consensus candidacy was ratified, my name was shortlisted as a candidate for Imo North district,” he added.

The aspirant claimed that his name was later substituted with that of Omegara after he had been declared winner of the primary.

He also alleged that the party’s national leader, Seriake Dickson, summoned him to a meeting and informed him that his candidacy had been affected because a party chieftain from his state claimed not to know him.

Nwachukwu is asking the court to declare him the consensus candidate of the NDC for Imo North Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.

He is also seeking an order restraining the NDC from fielding any other candidate except him for the senatorial election.

The aspirant further asked the court to restrain INEC from recognising or accepting the candidacy of any other person apart from him pending the determination of the matter.

In addition, he is asking the court to compel the NDC to issue him a certificate as its candidate for Imo North Senatorial District.