Crisis In Enugu NDC As Bishop Ossai Drags INEC, Party To Court Over Senatorial Ticket | Sahara Reporters

Ossai said he only discovered the alleged substitution after obtaining a Certified True Copy of the candidate information uploaded to INEC on July 23, 2026.

A fresh legal battle has erupted over the Enugu North Senatorial District ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), as Bishop Ossai Okwudili Elias Oscar has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the submission and uploading of the name of one Asadu Patrick Oziokoja as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.

In an Originating Summons dated August 5, 2026, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, Ossai joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the NDC and Asadu as defendants.

The plaintiff is asking the court to determine, among other issues, whether INEC can lawfully accept and publish Asadu’s name as the NDC candidate when, according to the suit, Ossai participated in the party’s primary election held on May 29, 2026, emerged with the highest number of votes and was subsequently recognised as the winner.

Ossai said he only discovered the alleged substitution after obtaining a Certified True Copy of the candidate information uploaded to INEC on July 23, 2026.

According to the originating summons, the document contained Asadu’s name instead of his.

He is consequently asking the court to determine whether, having regard to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, the party’s and INEC’s guidelines, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the NDC Constitution, INEC can accept and publish the name of any candidate other than the person who emerged with the highest number of votes at the party’s May 29 primary.

The plaintiff is also challenging what he described as the existence of different nomination processes for the Enugu North senatorial ticket, asking the court to determine whether NDC officials could lawfully submit the name of another aspirant after his alleged emergence as winner of the primary, as allegedly verified by available results and an affidavit deposed to by the party itself in an earlier case challenging Ossai’s emergence.

Among the reliefs sought by Ossai is a declaration that he is the lawful and proper candidate of the NDC for Enugu North Senatorial District, having participated in all stages of the primary and emerged with the highest number of votes.

He is further asking the court to order the NDC to submit his nomination documents, including the relevant electoral forms, to INEC for upload and publication as the party’s candidate.

Ossai is also seeking an order setting aside what he described as the purported submission or uploading of Asadu’s name and nomination documents for the Enugu North senatorial seat.

In another relief, the plaintiff is asking the court to restrain the defendants from recognising or dealing with Asadu, or any other person, as the NDC candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District pending the determination of the suit.

The plaintiff’s legal team, led by F. M. Nworah of Bloom Lex Legal Practice, Abuja, anchored the action on provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Constitution of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

The originating summons also refers to earlier legal proceedings relating to Ossai’s emergence, including suits numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1249/2026 and FHC/ABJ/CS/1254/2026, which the plaintiff contends support his claim to the senatorial ticket.

The latest suit comes against the backdrop of an earlier legal challenge to Ossai’s emergence as the NDC’s Enugu North senatorial candidate.

It will be recalled that the NDC had urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by Dr. Vincent Obetta challenging Ossai’s emergence from the party’s May 29, 2026 primary.

In its counter-affidavit, the party maintained that Ossai won the primary after participating in all stages of the process and securing the highest number of valid votes.

The NDC stated that the primary was duly 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. It also stated that 21 days’ notice of the primary was given to INEC.

The party consequently urged the court to dismiss or strike out the suit, insisting that Ossai emerged from the validly conducted primary and remained its legitimate candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District.

The party’s position, as contained in its counter-affidavit, adds another dimension to the latest dispute over the alleged uploading of Asadu’s name to INEC, with the court now being called upon to determine the competing claims surrounding the NDC’s Enugu North senatorial ticket.

Reacting to the development, Ossai questioned why the NDC leadership would allegedly subject the party to what he described as a “ridiculous substitution,” despite its reaffirmed position before a court of competent jurisdiction that he emerged victorious in the May 29 primary.

He expressed confidence in the judiciary, saying he believed that the court, as the “last hope of the common man,” would do justice to his case.

The court has given the defendants seven days after service of the originating summons, inclusive of the day of service, to enter appearance, while they are required under the 2026 Practice Direction to file their counter-affidavit within 10 days.

The case is expected to provide a judicial test of the competing claims over the NDC’s Enugu North Senatorial District ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.