Fresh controversy has hit the Anambra State chapter of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) as two aspirants lay claim to the party’s ticket for Anaocha 1 Constituency in the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly election.
The dispute is between the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, Nkechi Ogbuefi, and Azubuike Okoye, with both claiming to be the authentic candidate of the party.
Ogbuefi, who is also the Deputy Minority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, addressed journalists in Awka on Tuesday, insisting that she participated in the party’s primary election and was duly nominated to seek re-election.
She alleged that Okoye neither purchased the party’s nomination form nor participated in the screening and primary election, yet had been parading himself as the NDC candidate for the constituency.
According to her, the party had resolved to grant serving lawmakers automatic tickets, after which she received her nomination form and participated in the party’s electoral process.
Ogbuefi further claimed that her candidacy had been affirmed in court following a legal challenge, adding that the party had also maintained that Okoye’s name was never submitted as its candidate.
She said the state party chairman, Chief Ikem Uzoezie, had assured her that she remained the party’s candidate.
However, Okoye, in his reaction, declined to engage in a public exchange with Ogbuefi, saying the matter would soon be settled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He urged journalists and members of the public to await INEC’s publication of the official list of candidates submitted by political parties.
“I cannot say anything now… until INEC publishes the list of candidates sent by the party to the Commission,” Okoye said.
When contacted, the NDC Anambra State Chairman, Chief Ikem Uzoezie, also declined to disclose the identity of the candidate submitted to INEC.
Uzoezie said the names of candidates for the state House of Assembly would be published by INEC the following week, after which the controversy over the Anaocha 1 ticket would be resolved.
He noted that the electoral body had already uploaded the names of presidential and National Assembly candidates, while the state Assembly candidates were expected to follow.
Until the official publication by INEC, the identity of the authentic NDC candidate for Anaocha 1 Constituency remains a subject of dispute.
