A cleric and businessman, Okwudili Ossai, popularly known as Bishop Oscar, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Nigeria Democratic Congress 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.
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Ossai is challenging the submission and uploading of the name of another aspirant, Asadu, to the INEC portal as the NDC candidate for the district despite his claim that he won the party’s senatorial primary 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.
According to the originating summons, Ossai told the court that he participated in all stages of the NDC primary election, obtained the highest number of valid votes and was subsequently recognised as the winner.
He alleged that he only became aware that his name had been substituted after obtaining a Certified True Copy of the candidate information submitted to INEC on July 23, which identified Asadu as the party’s candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial District.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether, having regard to the NDC’s 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 officials of the NDC have the legal authority to submit the name of another aspirant after he had allegedly emerged as the winner of the duly conducted primary election.
Ossai consequently wants the court to declare him the lawful and proper candidate of the NDC for the Enugu North Senatorial District on the ground that he participated in all stages of the primary and secured the highest number of valid votes.
He is further seeking an order compelling 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 businessman also wants the court to set aside what he described as the purported submission and uploading of Asadu’s name and nomination documents.
He is equally seeking an order restraining INEC, the NDC and Asadu from recognising or dealing with Asadu, or any other person, as the NDC candidate for the district pending the determination of the suit.
In support of his case, Ossai referred to an earlier suit filed by another NDC aspirant, Vincent Obetta, challenging his emergence from the May 29 primary.
According to Ossai, the NDC had, in its counter-affidavit in that earlier proceeding, expressly maintained that he won the primary after participating in all stages of the process and securing the highest number of valid votes.
He said the party had also 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, in defending the earlier suit, the NDC urged the court to dismiss or strike out Obetta’s challenge on the basis that he had emerged from a validly conducted primary and remained the party’s legitimate candidate.
The plaintiff said he has now attached documents from that previous case, including the NDC’s affidavit affirming his candidacy, to support his current claim that the subsequent submission of Asadu’s name was unlawful.
A copy of the originating summons dated August 5, 2026, directed the defendants to enter appearance within seven days from the date they were 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.
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