Tension has gripped Aniocha South Constituency of Delta State following a brewing revolt over the alleged replacement of the winner of the National Democratic Congress primary election for the state House of Assembly seat.
The development has triggered anger among party members, youths, women and other indigenes of communities in the constituency, with stakeholders threatening mass protests in Ogwashi-Uku, headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area, and Asaba, the state capital, if the alleged substitution is not reversed.
At the centre of the controversy is Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe, who supporters insist won the party’s open primary and was subsequently issued the necessary nomination documents.
The protesters alleged that despite Adigwe’s victory, the party hierarchy replaced him with Onochie Osheokwu, who they said finished fourth in the primary.
Results presented by the aggrieved members showed that Adigwe polled 286 votes to emerge first, followed by Junior Okeleke with 221 votes. Igwe Onnefa was said to have scored 170 votes, while Osheokwu came fourth with 140 votes. Myke Enebuwa reportedly scored 120 votes.
The alleged substitution has since turned what was described as a relatively calm political environment into a storm, with constituents accusing unnamed party leaders of attempting to overturn the outcome of the primary.
The aggrieved members also alleged that the move was being backed by political interests outside the party, including some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress. The allegation could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
Adigwe, reacting to the controversy, said he had no quarrel with the party but would not abandon the mandate he claimed was freely given to him by the people.
He said he would seek legal redress to reclaim the mandate.
“I am a party member and I have no fight with my party. The people have spoken, and I stand firmly with my people. I remain committed to pursuing our mandate through lawful and constitutional means.
“As a law-abiding citizen, I assure my people that we will seek to retrieve our mandate peacefully and through the appropriate legal channel.”
A resident, Comrade Victor Obokoh, described the alleged substitution as a betrayal of the electorate, insisting that the outcome of the primary should not be overturned because of political influence.
Obokoh said, “It will be wrong for the people’s mandate to be waved aside because of who was in the political race or who campaigned the loudest.
“That choice was made in the open. That choice was made with hope.”
He urged the party leadership to respect the outcome of the primary, saying doing otherwise would send a dangerous message to voters.
According to him, “To abuse or overturn those votes is to tell every man, woman and youth in Aniocha South that their voice does not matter.
“It is to tell them that party politics is bigger than the people. And that is not who we are as NDC.
“The NDC stands for the people. We do not silence the people. We protect their choice.”
He called on the party to stand by Adigwe, arguing that respecting the mandate would strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Another party member and indigene, Isioma Azubuike, described the alleged substitution as unacceptable, arguing that a candidate who finished fourth in the primary should not emerge as the party’s candidate through what he called the “back door.”
He warned that the controversy could cost the party the support of its members in the constituency.
Azubuike said, “This is a back-door candidate not acceptable to the members of Aniocha South NDC as it leads to subverting the wishes of the people and killing the nascent party.
“There will be no candidate for Aniocha South if it is not reversed, as we are going to vote for another candidate of another party come February in the Assembly election. He is going nowhere.”
He also appealed to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and other leaders to intervene and restore Adigwe’s alleged mandate.
A human rights advocate, Victor Anyali, also condemned what he described as an attempt to undermine the popular choice of the electorate.
Anyali said it would be “unjustifiable” to replace a candidate who emerged from what he described as a transparent primary process.
He said, “Such an action would be patently unfair, unjust, and a direct affront to democratic principles.
“The electorate of Aniocha South exercised their franchise freely and fairly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission officials conducting the process in a transparent manner, yielding results that clearly reflect the people’s preference for Hon. Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe.”
Meanwhile, women and youths who spoke on the controversy accused political opponents of attempting to manipulate the process, allegations that could not be independently established.
The protesters vowed to mobilise their communities if the alleged substitution stands.
They said plans were underway for demonstrations in Ogwashi-Uku and Asaba, including visits to relevant electoral and political authorities.
Some of the protesters also issued a broader warning that the controversy could have serious political consequences for the party if unresolved.
The situation remained tense as of the time of filing this report, with stakeholders insisting that the outcome of the primary must be respected and threatening further legal and political action if Adigwe is not reinstated.
