NDC Crisis: Aggrieved Members Protest Substitution With Fourth-Place Aspirant

Aggrieved members and supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Delta state have protested the alleged substitution of a candidate.

Hon. Jeffrey Adigwe, winner of the party’s Aniocha South State Constituency primary election, was substituted with Hon. Osheokwu Onochie Thompson, who they said finished fourth in the contest.

The protesters, who expressed dissatisfaction with the development, first stormed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Asaba to submit their complaints, then proceeded to the NDC State Secretariat, where they were received by the party’s State Women Leader and State Ambassador, Emeremgini Genevieve.

The protesters demanded the immediate restoration of Adigwe as the NDC candidate for Aniocha South State Constituency, insisting that he won the party’s primary election with 286 votes.

They alleged that despite the outcome of the primary, Adigwe’s name was substituted with that of Osheokwu, who they claimed scored 146 votes and finished fourth in the election.

Carrying placards, the protesters displayed messages including: “We need Adigwe’s mandate restored,” “We don’t want imposition of Onochie Osheokwu in Aniocha South Constituency,” and “A man who cannot win a primary election, how can he win a general election?”

They called on the national leadership of the NDC to urgently intervene and restore what they described as the mandate freely given to Adigwe by delegates, warning that the alleged substitution could undermine the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during the protest, Samuel Okeleke Junior, one of the aggrieved party members, said he had contested the same position but chose to support Adigwe because he believed the primary outcome should be respected.

According to him, the party should not allow the same alleged injustice that made some members leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) to occur in the NDC.

“I contested for the same position, but today I am supporting Jeffrey Adigwe. We left APC because of injustice. How come someone who came fourth will be nominated as the party candidate?” he asked.

Okeleke said the protesters had obtained a copy of the INEC report, which, according to him, showed the results of the primary election and Oshekwu’s subsequent nomination.

He described the development as “an injustice taken too far,” arguing that a candidate who could not win the party primary would face a difficult task winning the general election.

“We are saying no to imposition. Adigwe is our candidate. The party that wants to chart a course for a better Nigeria must be upright and have the courage to do the right thing,” he said.

Ekelue Henry Uche, from Ubulu-Uno, appealed to the NDC leadership to respect the primary’s outcome and restore Adigwe’s mandate.

“I expect NDC to do the needful and restore the mandate of the people,” he said.

Another protester, Ogbechie Augustine, said he hails from the same ward as Oshekwu but was supporting Adigwe because the primary election had already been conducted and a winner had emerged.

“As a matter of fact, I came from the same ward with Oshekwu, who came out fourth in the primary. But as the primary election is over, we all must queue in support of Jeffrey Adigwe, who won but unfortunately was substituted,” Augustine said.

Betty Onuwa Ifekwene also insisted that Adigwe won the primary with 286 votes and had demonstrated his commitment to the party and the constituency after the election.

“Jeffrey won with 286 votes, and he won. He made efforts by campaigning around the wards, showing his readiness to win the general election,” she said.

According to Ifekwene, Adigwe had continued to mobilise supporters across the wards in Aniocha South Local Government Area after the primary, including encouraging residents to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

She therefore urged the NDC leadership to correct what the protesters described as an injustice.

“We said no to injustice. NDC must correct the injustice if they are willing and ready to win elections,” she said.

The protesters maintained that the issue was not about personal ambition but about protecting the integrity of the party’s primary process and ensuring that the candidate chosen by delegates could represent the party in the general election.

They urged the national executive of the party to urgently review the circumstances surrounding the substitution and restore Adigwe’s name, warning that continued refusal to address the matter could generate further tension within the party in Aniocha South.

Addressing the protesters at the NDC State Secretariat, the State Women Leader and State Ambassador, Ambassador Emeremgini Genevieve, appealed for calm and assured them that their grievances would be forwarded to the appropriate party authorities.

Genevieve commended the protesters for choosing what she described as the proper channel to express their concerns.

“I am pleased to note that you people have chosen the right path to channel your grievances,” she said.

She acknowledged that some party members were also concerned about the nomination and noted that party members had monitored the primary election.

“Many of us were not happy that the party nominated the candidate because we all monitored the primaries. Your message will be communicated to the appropriate quarters,” Genevieve said.

She also pointed to the presence of members of the party’s reconciliation committee, expressing optimism that the matter would receive attention.

“Thank God the reconciliation committee members are around. Your issue will be addressed,” she assured the protesters.

The State Women Leader further appealed to the aggrieved members not to allow the controversy to weaken their commitment to the NDC, stressing the importance of unity as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The protest has consequently put pressure on the NDC leadership to resolve the controversy over the Aniocha South State Constituency ticket, with aggrieved members insisting that the outcome of the primary election must be respected.

The protesters said they would continue to pursue the matter through the appropriate party channels until what they described as Adigwe’s legitimate mandate is restored.