The Federal High Court sitting in Benin City on Tuesday sacked the candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress for the Oredo Federal Constituency, Uyi Omosigho, and declared Omo-Osagie Efosa, popularly called Mighty Man, as the authentic candidate of the party.
The presiding judge gave the ruling in the suit marked FHC/B/C/60/2026 between Omo-Osagie as the plaintiff and Omosigho Uyi Frank, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Independent National Electoral Commission, David Olukoga, State Chairman of the NDC and Mr. Frederick Endorokeme Owotorufa, Chairman of the State Primary and Nominations Committees, as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants.
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Professor Chuka Obizor, also frowned on what he described as frustrating tendencies of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during pre-election cases.
The judge also said, “The issue of internal mechanism in solving party primary crises could also be used to delay and frustrate aggrieved aspirants seeking redress.”
Professor Obizor, who quoted various instances and constitutional backing, said from all evidence before him, “it was obvious that the plaintiff participated in the primary election as confirmed and endorsed by the returning officers and the Chairmen of all the 12 wards in Oredo Federal Constituency” and said that the leadership of the party could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the first defendant, Omosigho, participated in the primary election and won, unlike the plaintiff did.
He directed the party to declare him the winner and submit his name to INEC as the party’s candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency.
Reacting to the judgment, Omo-Osagie said it was a victory for the rule of law and appreciated the national leader of the party, Senator Seriake Dickson, for the support and called on other aspirants to come together for the general election to ensure victory in the January 16th 2027 election.
“This was a victory for the rule of law, and I appreciate the national leader of the party, Senator Seriake Dickson, for the support. I also call on other aspirants to come together for the general election to ensure victory in the January 16th 2027 election,” he said.