A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to immediately forward the name of Uche Nwole to Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, as its duly elected candidate for the Imo East Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
In a judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Mohammed Umar, the court granted the reliefs sought by Nwole against the NDC, INEC, and Hon. Onyeagucha Uchechukwu.
The court ordered the NDC to forward Nwole’s name without delay as the candidate who emerged from the party’s primary election, which was duly monitored by INEC and conducted in accordance with Sections 84(1) and (2) and Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026.
It further directed INEC to immediately accept, enlist, and publish Nwole’s name on the final list of candidates for the Imo East senatorial seat.
In addition, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the NDC from nominating or submitting any other name for the position.
It also barred INEC from accepting, listing, or publishing any purported candidate from the NDC who allegedly emerged from a primary election that was never held or monitored by the commission, or any purported consensus candidate whose nomination breached Sections 87(1) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The court held that the NDC had duly conducted primary elections monitored by INEC for aspirants seeking the Imo East ticket. It further declared that, having conducted those primaries, the party could not lawfully nominate a consensus candidate for the seat.
The court also found that Nwole had fulfilled all statutory requirements to participate in the direct primary and to emerge as the party’s candidate.
