Nwachukwu Takes NDC To Court Over Alleged Primary Election Fraud

According to Ireporter Online, a senatorial aspirant, Isaac Nwachukwu, has approached the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, seeking redress over alleged irregularities surrounding the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) National Assembly primaries held in June.

In a suit filed through his counsel, CJ Oguzie, Nwachukwu alleged that despite emerging as the consensus candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District, the party allegedly denied him its ticket and later demanded an additional ₦5 million for the nomination form. He further claimed that he had earlier paid ₦20 million as financial support to the party, an amount which was later reduced to ₦10 million in the published list of contributors.

In his originating summons, the plaintiff is asking the court for declarations affirming that he remains the consensus candidate of the NDC for Imo North ahead of the 2027 general elections, and that the party should be restrained from presenting any other candidate for the same seat. He also urged the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withhold recognition of any candidate other than himself, pending the determination of the case.

In an affidavit deposed to in support of the suit, Nwachukwu stated that he purchased the party’s expression of interest form and made the ₦20 million payment through the party’s FCMB account via his solicitor. He alleged further discrepancies in the party’s handling of financial contributions and candidate allocation, claiming that funds he paid were reassigned to another aspirant, while payments from another contender were attributed to him by the screening committee.

He also maintained that he was duly screened and cleared to participate in the primaries, and that his consensus candidacy was initially affirmed before his name was allegedly substituted with that of another aspirant, Matthew Omegara, after he had been declared the winner.

Nwachukwu further alleged that during internal consultations, the party’s national leadership intervened in the matter following a complaint reportedly linked to a former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, conveyed through the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, which he claims influenced his removal as candidate.

The claimant is therefore seeking an order compelling the NDC to formally issue him a certificate of return as the party’s candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District.