By Jude Opara
A fresh crisis has hit the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Imo State as an Imo North senatorial aspirant, Isaac Nwachukwu, has approached the Federal High Court in Owerri, challenging what he described as the unlawful substitution of his candidacy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the suit filed against the NDC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nwachukwu alleged that he was replaced by another aspirant after emerging as the party’s consensus candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District.
The aspirant, through his counsel, Cajethan Oguzie, is seeking a declaration affirming him as the validly nominated candidate of the party and restraining the NDC from presenting any other person for the election.
He is also asking the court to prevent INEC from recognising any candidate other than himself pending the determination of the suit.
According to court documents, Nwachukwu claimed he purchased the party’s nomination form for N5 million and later contributed N20 million to support the party’s activities.
However, he alleged that irregularities emerged during the screening process when the N20 million contribution he made was allegedly credited to another aspirant, Matthew Omegara, while a N10 million contribution attributed to Omegara was assigned to him.
“The first sign of irregularity and non-compliance with the NDC constitution and the Electoral Act came when the N20 million I paid for party support was allocated to another aspirant,” he stated in an affidavit supporting the suit.
Nwachukwu maintained that he successfully passed the party’s screening exercise and was subsequently cleared to participate in the primary election.
He further claimed that after his consensus candidacy was ratified and his name shortlisted as the party’s candidate for Imo North, he was later replaced by Omegara under circumstances he described as questionable.
The plaintiff also alleged that he was informed during a meeting with a senior party leader that his candidacy had become an issue because a prominent party stakeholder from Imo State claimed not to know him.
As part of the reliefs sought, Nwachukwu is asking the court to compel the NDC to issue him a certificate recognising him as the party’s candidate for the Imo North Senatorial District in the 2027 election.
The suit adds to a growing number of pre-election disputes arising from party primaries as political parties prepare for the next general election.
