Embattled All Progressives Congress senatorial aspirant for Abia South, Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jnr, has dragged his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission to the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged substitution of his name on the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Erondu, who emerged from the APC’s direct primary conducted on May 18, 2026, is challenging reports that Prince Paul Ikonne has been presented as the party’s candidate for the Abia South Senatorial District.
The aspirant insists that he remains the authentic APC candidate, arguing that his victory at the primary was upheld by the party’s Appeal Committee and further backed by an INEC Certified True Copy of the primary election report.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, against the APC, INEC, Prince Paul Ikonne, Nyerere Chinenye Anyim and Hon. Dr. Blessing Nwagba.
The matter is before Justice M. G. Umar.
In an order issued on July 28, 2026, the court granted Erondu permission to serve the originating summons and other court processes on the third, fourth and fifth defendants through substituted means.
The court directed that the documents could be served by delivering them to a staff member or any person at the APC National Secretariat at 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, or by affixing them to the entrance gate of the premises.
It ruled that such service would constitute good and sufficient service on the affected defendants.
The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, for further proceedings.
Erondu’s legal challenge is anchored on his contention that his nomination cannot be validly substituted because he has neither died nor voluntarily withdrawn from the race.
He also maintains that there is no court order disqualifying or removing him as the APC candidate for the Abia South senatorial district.
The suit has further escalated the dispute surrounding the APC’s senatorial ticket in Abia South, with the court now set to determine the validity of the alleged substitution and the competing claims to the party’s nomination.
