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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Fresh controversy has erupted within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) following the alleged direct submission of a list of candidates from the party’s governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries in Abia State to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, Chief Asukewe Ikoawaji.
The move is already generating tension within the party amid concerns that the action may have bypassed established procedures for the nomination and submission of candidates to the electoral umpire.
The National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, said the national leadership is not aware of the development, adding that INEC is duty-bound not to accept any list from any party official other than the National Secretary.
The alleged document showed that Ikoawaji, who chaired the NDC Primary Election Committee for the May 29, 2026 primaries in Abia State, wrote directly to the Chairman of INEC through the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, forwarding what he described as the outcome of the exercise.
In the alleged document, dated May 30, 2026 and titled “The Outcome of the NDC Primary Election in Abia State”, the committee chairman informed the commission that results from all local government areas and constituencies in the state had been collated and finalised at the party’s headquarters located at No. 2 Nsukka Street, Umuahia.
According to him, the collation exercise was witnessed by an INEC official identified as Mrs Chioma, security personnel, members of the election committee and party officials.
“I hereby forward the election result of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Primary Election held on 29/05/2026 in all the Local Government Areas and Constituencies in Abia State and the final collation result at the Party Headquarters, No. 2 Nsukka Street, Umuahia,” the letter read in part.
Ikoawaji further stated that copies of the results had been transmitted to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja in line with the party’s constitution.
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He also attached documents, including the notification of election committee members, election guidelines and the results of the primaries, for what he described as the commission’s necessary action.
The development has, however, triggered concerns among party stakeholders who insist that the responsibility for communicating and submitting the names of nominated candidates to INEC lies with the party’s national leadership, particularly the National Chairman and National Secretary.
In a separate correspondence addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Abia State, Ikoawaji reportedly sought to correct what he described as errors in an earlier list of members of the Governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly Electoral Committee previously forwarded to the commission.
The letter also identified him as the sole electoral and returning officer for the primaries conducted across the state’s 17 local government areas, while indicating that the revised submission superseded all previous lists sent to INEC regarding the conduct of the exercise.
Party insiders fear that the direct submission of the primary election outcome by the committee chairman could spark legal and procedural disputes, particularly if the list differs from any eventual submission made by the party’s national leadership.
The latest development is also seen as capable of deepening existing divisions within the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections unless resolved through the party’s internal mechanisms and in accordance with electoral regulations governing party primaries and candidate nominations.
Reacting to the allegation in a telephone chat with The Sun, the NDC National Publicity Secretary said, “The NDC maintains its earlier stand that only the NDC national leadership can announce successful candidates and send list of candidates to INEC.
“No state or zonal officials have the powers to do so. The NDC national leadership is not aware of this. And as such, INEC is duty-bound not to accept any list from any party official other than the national secretary,” he said.
