Legal practitioner Obunike Ohaegbu has taken the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission to the Federal High Court in Abuja over the disputed outcome of the party’s primary election for the Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2026, is before Justice Mohammed Umar.
Ohaegbu joined the NDC, Ebere Onunkwo, Socrates Ebo, INEC and Peter Uzokwe as defendants.
The dispute concerns the party’s primary election conducted on May 29, 2026, to select its candidate for the House of Representatives seat in the 2027 general election.
Ohaegbu claims majority of lawful votes
In his originating processes, Ohaegbu says he participated in the primary and obtained the highest number — or majority — of lawful votes cast.
He alleges, however, that the result was not announced at the venue.
The lawyer further claims that the party subsequently recognised another aspirant as its candidate contrary to the applicable primary-election guidelines.
Those assertions remain Ohaegbu’s case before the court and have not yet been judicially established.
Among the reliefs sought, Ohaegbu wants the Federal High Court to direct the party to declare him winner of the primary.
He also wants an order requiring the NDC to submit and upload his name and particulars to INEC as the party’s duly nominated candidate.
In addition, he seeks orders restraining the party from recognising or submitting another person as its candidate and restraining INEC from accepting or acting upon another nomination for the constituency.
Hearing delayed over service
The substantive hearing could not proceed at the court’s latest sitting after it emerged that the second, third and fifth defendants had not been served with the required hearing notices.
Counsel to Ohaegbu informed the court that relevant processes had already been filed and exchanged.
Justice Umar nevertheless directed that proper hearing notices be served before the case could proceed.
The matter was consequently adjourned to October 14, 2026, with the court requiring evidence of service on the parties.
Pre-election litigation takes centre stage
The dispute joins a growing number of cases concerning political-party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Questions concerning party membership, primary procedures and candidate nomination have taken on added significance following the Supreme Court’s recent judgment restoring provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 dealing with party registers and methods of nomination.
That wider legal development does not itself decide Ohaegbu’s case.
The Federal High Court must determine the specific facts placed before it, the relevant party rules, applicable electoral legislation and whether the claimant is entitled to the particular remedies sought.
Until then, Ohaegbu’s assertion that he won the primary remains a contested claim.
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Source: Premium Times Premium Times Nigeria
