A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, has removed Uyi Omosigho as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency and declared Osagie Efosa Omo the winner of the party’s House of Representatives primary.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday in a pre-election suit filed by Omo, who challenged the emergence of Omosigho as the party’s flag-bearer ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The case, marked FHC/B/C/60/2026, involved five defendants, including Omosigho, the NDC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party’s Edo State chairman, David Olukoga, and Fredrick Endorokeme Owotorufa.
Presiding judge, Professor Chuka Obizor, held that the evidence presented before the court supported Omo’s claim that he participated in the primary election.
According to the report, returning officers and ward chairmen across all 12 wards in Oredo Federal Constituency confirmed Omo’s participation in the exercise.
The court also found that the party leadership had not provided sufficient evidence to establish that Omosigho contested and won the primary, while Omo presented evidence supporting his claim.
Consequently, the court directed the NDC to formally recognise Omo as the winner of the primary and submit his name to INEC as its candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency.
Judge criticises INEC
During the proceedings, Justice Obizor criticised what he described as delays and frustrating practices in the handling of pre-election disputes.
He warned that excessive reliance on internal party mechanisms to resolve disagreements could disadvantage aspirants seeking judicial intervention over disputed primaries.
The judge’s remarks highlighted the importance of ensuring that political parties conduct their internal electoral processes transparently and in accordance with applicable laws.
Reacting to the judgment, Omo described the outcome as a victory for the rule of law and thanked NDC national leader Seriake Dickson for his support throughout the legal process.
The ruling adds to the legal disputes involving political party primaries as preparations intensify for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
