ENUGU, Nigeria — Some aspirants in the Enugu North senatorial district bye-election have rejected the outcome of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries held on May 26 and 29, alleging that no valid election was conducted and that a candidate was imposed by party leaders.
The rejection was conveyed in a statement jointly signed by Vincent Obetta and Okay Agbo on behalf of other aspirants on Thursday in Enugu. The aggrieved aspirants claimed that no valid direct primary election was conducted in any electoral ward, and no lawful consensus process took place as required by law. “It was a mere imposition of a candidate through a process that excluded aspirants, stakeholders, and party members,” the statement reads.
The aspirants alleged that the exercise, which produced Oscar Ossai as NDC’s candidate for the bye-election scheduled for June 20, did not reflect the party’s democratic ideals. They claimed that lists of candidates were prepared and submitted through the influence of the Enugu State caucus leadership under Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo for the benefit of predetermined individuals, while duly screened aspirants who invested time and resources were completely ignored.
According to the statement, the aspirants had participated in all party processes in good faith, believing that the NDC was committed to internal democracy and transparent candidate selection. They expressed disappointment that the party leadership failed to uphold the principles of fairness and equity, which they said were the very foundations upon which the party was built.
The aggrieved aspirants declared that they neither recognise nor endorse any candidate produced from the disputed process and would not participate in any campaign or political activity arising from it until the national leadership intervenes. They demanded that the party leadership immediately void the disputed list and organise a transparent and credible exercise that would allow party members to freely choose candidates.
They further argued that the imposition of a candidate would alienate party supporters and weaken the NDC’s chances of winning the bye-election. They noted that the Enugu North senatorial district is a critical constituency where the party needs to present a credible and acceptable candidate to compete effectively against other political parties.
The aspirants appealed to top party leaders including Senator Seriake Dickson, presidential candidate Peter Obi, National Chairman Chief Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, and members of the National Working Committee to urgently intervene. They warned that unless a transparent and credible process is conducted, the national leadership should not expect meaningful mobilisation or effective political campaigning in the forthcoming bye-election.
The aggrieved aspirants also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to monitor the situation and ensure that only candidates produced through democratic processes are allowed to stand for the election. They expressed confidence that the commission would uphold the provisions of the Electoral Act and ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates.
The senatorial seat for Enugu North became vacant following the death of Senator Okey Ezea in November 2025. Ezea, who was elected under the platform of the Labour Party, had served in the Senate since 2019. His death triggered the bye-election, which is scheduled to hold on June 20, 2026, alongside other bye-elections in various parts of the country.
The NDC, which recently welcomed Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso into its fold, is seeking to make electoral inroads in the South-East and other regions ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Enugu North bye-election is seen as a test case for the party’s organisational strength and its ability to mobilise voters.
As the bye-election approaches, the NDC leadership has yet to issue an official response to the allegations raised by the aggrieved aspirants. For now, the party faces an internal crisis that could undermine its chances in the upcoming bye-election and beyond.
