Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to instantly ahead the title of Uche Nwole to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its duly elected candidate for the Imo East senatorial district within the 2027 common election.
Justice Umar gave the order whereas delivering judgment within the go well with introduced towards the NDC, INEC, and Hon. Onyeagucha Uchechukwu.
The court docket ordered the NDC to ahead Nwole’s title immediately because the candidate who emerged from the get together’s main election, which was duly monitored by INEC and carried out in accordance with Sections 84(1) and (2) and Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026.
It additional directed INEC to instantly settle for, enlist, and publish Nwole’s title on the ultimate listing of candidates for the Imo East senatorial seat.
In addition, the court docket issued a perpetual injunction restraining the NDC from nominating or submitting every other title for the place.
It additionally barred INEC from accepting, itemizing, or publishing any purported candidate from the NDC who allegedly emerged from a main election that was by no means held or monitored by the fee, or any purported consensus candidate whose nomination breached Sections 87(1) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The court docket held that the NDC had duly carried out main elections monitored by INEC for aspirants in search of the Imo East ticket. It additional declared that, having carried out these primaries, the get together couldn’t lawfully nominate a consensus candidate for the seat.
The court docket additionally discovered that Nwole had fulfilled all statutory necessities to take part within the direct main and to emerge because the get together’s candidate.
