The Nigeria Democratic Congress is facing an internal dispute in Rivers State over allegations that a House of Representatives candidate who won the party’s primary was replaced on the Independent National Electoral Commission portal.
The controversy concerns Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 1.
A party electoral committee led by Osusu Osusu conducted a direct primary on May 29, 2026 and publicly declared Prince Abele Wobo winner with 292 votes.
The Social Accountability Forum later alleged that the name uploaded to the INEC portal was that of incumbent lawmaker Manuchim Umezurike rather than Wobo.
The group claimed Umezurike had not participated in the NDC primary because he was still associated with the All Progressives Congress at the time.
It further alleged that attempts were being made to create documentation supporting the substitution.
Those claims are allegations by the group and have not been judicially determined.
The Social Accountability Forum said the dispute had already been taken to court.
It called on the NDC national leadership to restore Wobo’s name and argued that failure to respect the outcome of an openly conducted primary could damage confidence in the party’s internal democracy.
The group also claimed pressure had been placed on the head of the primary committee to alter the declared result.
No response from the NDC national leadership or Umezurike was included in the source material.
The dispute comes at a sensitive time for a party seeking to present itself as an alternative platform in the 2027 elections.
The legal and party processes that follow will determine whether the candidate listed by INEC remains unchanged or is challenged successfully.
