From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

Asenatorial aspirant for Imo North (Okigwe), Isaac Nwachukwu, has dragged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, over the fallout of party’s National Assembly primaries.

Nwachukwu, who filed the suit, yesterday, through his counsel, C.J. Oguzie, accused the party of denying him the Imo North senatorial ticket after he emerged as a consensus candidate and paid N5 million for the nomination form.

The suit also disclosed that Nwachukwu had paid N20 million in support of the party, which was reduced to N10 million when the list of those who supported the party was published.

Nwachukwu sought the following reliefs: “A declaration that the plaintiff in the suit is the consensus candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Imo State with regards to the candidate of the Imo North senatorial zone in the 2027 General election.

“A declaration that the first defendant (Nigeria Democratic Congress) be restrained from fielding another candidate except the plaintiff in the general election into the Imo North senatorial zone as he is the consensus candidate for the said election.

“A declaration that the second defendant (Independent National Electoral Commission) be perpetually restrained from recognising and accepting the candidacy of another person except the plaintiff in the Imo North senatorial zone election, pending the determination of the matter.”

In an affidavit in support of the originating summon, Nwachukwu stated, “that I purchased the expression of interest form to aspire for the position of Senate in the Imo North senatorial zone. A copy of my expression of interest form is, hereby, annexed as exhibit IU2.

“Upon the purchase of the expression of interest form, I made a monetary contribution in support of the party’s growth in the tune of N20 million into the party’s FCMB account number through my solicitor, Cajethan Oguzie. A copy of the receipt of N20 million is, hereby, annexed as exhibit 1U3.

“That the first sign of regularity and no compliance with NDC constitution and electoral act came up when the N20 million I paid for party support was allocated to one of the aspirants for my senatorial district by the name Matthew Omegara and the N10 million that Matthew Omegara paid for party support was allocated to me by the screening committee headed by his Excellency Sam Egwu and Buba Galadimma.

“In compliance with NDC’s directives, I participated in the NDC screening exercise and was successfully cleared as an aspirant to participate in the primary election.

“After my consensus candidacy was ratified, my name was shortlisted as a candidate for Imo North district. A copy of the result is, hereby, annexed as exhibit 1U5.”

He stressed that his name was substituted with Omegara after he had been declared the winner of the primary election.

The Imo North senatorial aspirant stated that the National Leader of the party, Seriake Dickson, summoned him for a meeting where he told him that a former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, complained to him through Peter Obi that he doesn’t know him and that he shouldn’t be fielded as the party’s candidate for Imo North senatorial district.

Among other demands, Nwachukwu is asking the court to order NDC to issue him a certificate as its candidate for Imo North senatorial district.