Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Labour Party (LP) aspirant for the Oju/Obi Federal Constituency in Benue State, Hon. Jonah Ihie, has dragged the party's National Working Committee to court over the alleged wrongful imposition of a candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections. The lawsuit, which also threatens to involve the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenges the party's decision to name a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker, Hon. Blessed Onah, as its flagbearer for the constituency, a move Ihie describes as a violation of the party's constitution and a clear case of ticket racketeering.
Ihie, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, accused the LP leadership of awarding the ticket to a recent defector who had contested and lost the PDP primary just weeks earlier. According to him, Onah lost the PDP primary on May 18, 2026, defected to the Labour Party on June 4, purchased the LP nomination form on June 13, and participated in the LP primaries on June 30. "He spent less than two weeks as a member of the Labour Party to become a candidate for the 2027 general elections. Before this incident, I was the only one who bought a nomination form from that constituency," Ihie stated.
The aggrieved aspirant further alleged that no valid primary election was conducted in Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, claiming there were no ballot papers or INEC officials present on the scheduled date. He maintained that Onah was still a PDP member when he obtained the LP nomination form, a point he raised in a formal petition to the party through his lawyers, Nicholas Oduaran & Co., on June 3, 2026. "My warning fell on deaf ears. Therefore, I had no option but to drag the party and the NWC to court to seek redress," he said.
The controversy has also drawn sharp criticism from local party officials. A group of 23 party chieftains in Benue State, led by the immediate past state chairman, Emmanuel Agida, issued a joint statement distancing themselves from Onah's candidacy. They warned the public against associating with him, maintaining that the current party executives in the state do not recognise his nomination. The LP chairmen of Oju and Obi Local Government Areas publicly denied Onah's membership of the party, alleging that he was falsely parading himself as a candidate despite not being a bona fide member.
Reacting to the allegations, the Labour Party's National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, defended the party's position, insisting that internal records show Onah resigned from the PDP on April 30 and officially joined the Labour Party on May 1, 2026. Asogwa noted that this timeline aligns with the party's submission of candidates to INEC on May 7. However, he declined to comment further, stating that the matter is now sub judice. "Now that the matter is in court, let the judge decide whose candidacy is in order," Asogwa said.
The legal battle comes at a time when political parties are preparing to upload candidates' names to the INEC portal ahead of the 2027 elections. Ihie has accused the party of disregarding his petitions and proceeding with what he describes as an illegal substitution. He is seeking a court order to nullify Onah's candidacy and compel the LP to recognise him as the legitimate candidate. The case highlights the growing tensions within opposition parties as the 2027 elections draw nearer, with allegations of candidate imposition and procedural irregularities threatening to undermine internal democracy.
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