Cleric Sues INEC, NDC Over Alleged Substitution of Enugu North Senatorial Candidate
A cleric and businessman, Okwudili Ossai, popularly known as Bishop Oscar, has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged substitution of his name as the party’s candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
Ossai is challenging the submission and uploading of the name of another aspirant, Asadu, on the INEC portal as the NDC’s senatorial candidate for the district, despite his claim that he won the party’s primary election held on May 29, 2026.
The suit, filed on August 5 through his legal team led by F. M. Nworah, listed INEC as the first defendant, the NDC as the second defendant and Asadu as the third defendant.
In the originating summons, Ossai claimed that he participated in all stages of the NDC senatorial primary, secured the highest number of valid votes and was subsequently recognised as the winner.
He alleged that he only discovered that his name had been replaced after obtaining a Certified True Copy of the candidate information submitted to INEC on July 23, which listed Asadu as the NDC candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial District.
Ossai is asking the court to determine whether, under the NDC constitution and electoral guidelines, the Electoral Act 2026 and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, INEC can lawfully accept and publish the name of a person other than the aspirant who secured the highest number of votes at the party’s May 29 primary.
He is also asking the court to determine whether NDC officials have the legal authority to submit the name of another aspirant after he had allegedly emerged as the winner of the primary.
Consequently, Ossai wants the court to declare him the lawful candidate of the NDC for the Enugu North Senatorial District, arguing that he participated in all stages of the primary and obtained the highest number of valid votes.
He is further seeking an order directing the NDC to submit his nomination documents and relevant electoral forms to INEC for uploading and publication as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
The plaintiff is also asking the court to set aside what he described as the purported submission and uploading of Asadu’s name and nomination documents.
In addition, he wants an order restraining INEC, the NDC and Asadu from recognising or dealing with Asadu, or any other person, as the NDC candidate for the senatorial district pending the determination of the suit.
In support of his case, Ossai relied on an earlier suit filed by another NDC aspirant, Vincent Obetta, challenging his emergence from the May 29 primary.
According to Ossai, the NDC stated in its counter-affidavit in the earlier case that he had won the primary after participating in all stages of the process and securing the highest number of valid votes.
He further claimed that the party told the Federal High Court that the primary was properly organised and supervised by its National Working Committee through a duly constituted electoral committee, in accordance with the party’s constitution, electoral guidelines and the Electoral Act 2026.
Ossai maintained that the NDC, while defending the earlier suit, urged the court to dismiss or strike out Obetta’s challenge on the grounds that he had emerged from a validly conducted primary and remained the party’s legitimate candidate.
He said he had now attached documents from the earlier proceedings, including the NDC’s affidavit affirming his candidacy, to support his contention that the subsequent submission of Asadu’s name was unlawful.
The originating summons, dated August 5, 2026, directed the defendants to enter appearance within seven days of being served with the court processes.
The defendants were also reminded that, under the applicable 2026 Practice Direction, their counter-affidavits are required to be filed within 10 days.
