Enugu West Senate Race: Ex-ADC Placeholder Makes U-Turn, Sues Party

A former African Democratic Congress (ADC) placeholder for the forthcoming Enugu West senatorial election, Mrs Juliet Ani, who earlier voluntarily withdrew from the race, has made a volte-face, suing the party over her replacement.

In her suit brought through originating summons before the Federal High Court Enugu, the plaintiff is challenging the legality of her substitution with Chief Ogochukwu A. U. Onyema Esq., after her name was submitted to INEC as the ADC candidate for the January 16, 2027 Enugu West Senatorial Election.

She joined the ADC, Onyema and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) respectively as the 1st to 3rd defendants in the suit.

The substitution occurred after Ani informed the party of her voluntary withdrawal in a hand-written letter to the National Chairman, through the Enugu State Chairman and the party Chairman for Udi Local Government Area, where she hails from.

In the letter dated July 14, 2026 and accompanied by an “affidavit in formal notice of her withdrawal,” Anih clearly stated that her decision to withdraw was made after deep reflection and wide consultation with her family, supporters and stakeholders in her senatorial zone.

The self-proclaimed evangelist made it clear that her decision was not borne out of any dissatisfaction with the party, but out of her desire to place the unity, stability and electoral success of the ADC above personal ambition.

Quoting her, “I remain fully committed to the ideals, manifesto and growth of our great party. I hereby undertake to support the party and whoever emerges as the duly nominated or substituted candidate for Enugu West senatorial zone, Enugu State. I will mobilise my structure, supporters and resources to ensure victory for the ADC at all levels in the forthcoming elections.

“I sincerely thank the National Working Committee, the State Executive Committee and the entire leadership of the party for the opportunity to participate in the process. I pledge my continued loyalty and readiness to serve the party in any other capacity deemed fit.

“Kindly accept the letter and the attached affidavit in formal notice of my withdrawal, and treat it accordingly.”

Following her withdrawal, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, ADC, Enugu State, Major General Chris Eze (Rtd), wrote the National Chairman, requesting for the substitution of the placeholder of the candidate of ADC for Enugu West Senatorial Zone for the election of January 16, 2027 with Barrister Ogochukwu A. U. Onyema.

General Eze noted in his letter that Mrs. Anih, as a placeholder, was not required to pay for the nomination form, but Onyema had duly paid the stipulated sum of N10m for it.

The State Chairman referred the National Chairman to the evidence of the payment, stressing that Onyema has satisfied him and other leaders of Enugu State ADC of his preparedness to contest and win the election for the party.

Following the request by the Enugu State leadership, the National leadership of ADC replaced Ani with Onyema, having satisfied all the requirements of the party for nomination.

Many stakeholders in Enugu ADC are surprised about the sudden U-turn made by Ani since she withdrew from the race on her own volition, without any form of compulsion whatsoever.

Meanwhile, Onyema has urged the Federal High Court Enugu to do the needful in line with the law by dismissing or striking out the controversial originating summons brought by Ani.

In a counter affidavit deposed on his behalf by G. Goziemba Esq., in opposition to the affidavit in support of the originating summons, he described the suit as speculative and a machination of mischief-makers/opposition party who bought over a placeholder and concocted documents for her to deceive the court.

Questioning the locus standi of the plaintiff to sustain the suit, he argued that the issues she raised border on internal political party affairs, which the court ought to decline jurisdiction to entertain.

Onyema maintained that the plaintiff personally without any compulsion tendered a withdrawal letter to the 1st defendant (ADC) in her own handwriting, which would be deployed as the need arises.

He stated that Ani was not even qualified for nomination as she has no tax clearance certificate or tax payment receipts.

Onyema accused the plaintiff of mischievously adducing that he contested the senatorial primary election under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), before resigning, citing manipulation and lack of transparency in the party’s primary election.

He insisted that NDC did not eventually conduct any known primary election for their aspirants till date and never published any result of such.

Maintaining that he is a full-fledged member of ADC, Onyema said he was re-admitted into the party and offered waiver to aspire to positions in line with the law, citing his ADC membership card as Exhibit 1,0