The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, is facing a dispute in Anambra State over who should represent the party in the Anaocha 1 Constituency of the State House of Assembly in the 2027 election.
The controversy involves the serving lawmaker for the constituency, Nkechi Ogbuefi, and another aspirant, Azubuike Okoye, who both lay claim to the party’s ticket.
Ogbuefi, who is also the Deputy Minority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, told journalists in Awka on Tuesday that she remains the legitimate NDC candidate after taking part in the party’s primary election.
She said the party had resolved that serving lawmakers would receive automatic tickets and that she was given the necessary nomination forms before participating in the primary.
According to her, she was returned as the party’s candidate for Anaocha 1 after the primary and later received further backing from the party during a court case at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Ogbuefi also accused Okoye of presenting himself as the NDC candidate despite allegedly not obtaining the party’s nomination form, undergoing its screening or participating in the primary election.
She further claimed that Okoye had previously obtained forms under another political party and participated in a House of Representatives primary before later claiming the NDC ticket.
The lawmaker said the dispute had already reached the court, where she claimed the party confirmed her as its candidate and maintained that Okoye’s name had not been submitted as the party’s choice.
Ogbuefi also said the NDC leadership in Anambra had advised her to disregard Okoye’s claim, adding that she was told that her name had been forwarded as the party’s candidate.
However, Okoye has refused to engage in a public dispute over the matter, saying the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would soon publish the official list of candidates submitted by political parties.
He said he preferred to wait for INEC’s publication before making any claim about who would represent the NDC in the constituency.
Okoye added that the publication of the official list would settle the disagreement and show the candidate recognised by the electoral commission.
The Anambra State NDC chairman, Ikem Uzoezie, also declined to disclose the name of the candidate submitted by the party to INEC.
Uzoezie asked the parties involved in the dispute to remain patient, explaining that INEC had already published details of presidential and National Assembly candidates but was expected to release the names of state and House of Assembly candidates the following week.
He said the publication would make it clear who the NDC had submitted as its candidate for Anaocha 1 and bring an end to the ongoing dispute.