A political crisis appears to be deepening within the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), as more than 80 aspirants for the 2027 general elections have threatened to institute legal action over alleged irregularities in the party’s nomination process.
The aggrieved aspirants accused the party leadership of violating the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act by allegedly failing to conduct primary elections despite collecting nomination fees from aspirants. They also alleged that the party was imposing candidates without following due process.
The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a meeting held in Enugu on Thursday, where the aspirants said they had exhausted all internal mechanisms for resolving the dispute but were met with what they described as silence and resistance from the party leadership.
While reaffirming their commitment to the ideals of a “New Nigeria,” the aspirants said they would seek judicial intervention to challenge what they termed unlawful actions capable of undermining internal democracy within the party.
The communiqué, signed by several party stakeholders, including Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, Joseph Udedi, Eze Izuchukwu Alex, Felix Chijindu Uzodinma, Obiora Obasi, Agu Cyprian Ifeanyi, Ude Kingsley Amobi and Martin Ibeabuchi Ene, insisted that no valid direct primary election was conducted anywhere in Enugu State.
According to the group, the Electoral Act requires either properly conducted direct primaries or a consensus process before candidates can emerge, alleging that neither requirement was fulfilled.
The aspirants further accused some leaders of the party in the state of financial extortion and practices inconsistent with the party’s anti-corruption principles. They also passed a vote of no confidence on some state party leaders, alleging poor leadership and a lack of transparency.
They called on the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to intervene and address the crisis, warning that continued disregard for internal democracy could further weaken the party’s electoral fortunes.
The aggrieved members cited the outcome of the recent Enugu North Senatorial election, where they claimed the party performed poorly, attributing the result to the alleged imposition of unpopular candidates.
The NDC leadership in Enugu State is yet to officially respond to the allegations.
