Not Uhuru yet for the Delta South APC ticket as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday adjourned until Wednesday a suit challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Delta South senatorial ticket after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to appear in court.
Justice Mohammed Umar has delayed proceedings in the case brought by Prince Michael Diden, aka ‘Ejele‘ a former chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), to allow INEC to take its place in court and present its position.
The commission has missed hearings in this matter twice before and has not filed a defence, counsel to the plaintiff said.
Bankole Joel Akomolafe, SAN, who represents Diden, told the court he had filed replies to the statements of defence served by Senator Joel Onowakpo (first defendant) and the APC (second defendant). He said two video recordings of the primary would be played in open court to assist the judge.
Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, formally announced appearance for Senator Onowakpo, while Habeeb Lawal represented the APC. By agreement of counsel, Justice Umar set the next hearing for July 8 and ordered that the fresh date be communicated to INEC.
Diden’s suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1094/2026) seeks a declaration that he won the APC direct primary held on May 18, 2026, and should be named the party’s candidate for the Delta South senatorial election scheduled for January 2027. He alleges that Onowakpo manipulated and published forged results, pointing to authentic ward-level returns showing the plaintiff with 96,893 votes to Onowakpo’s 31,918.
The plaintiff further says party stakeholders petitioned the APC national headquarters to reject the alleged fraudulent declaration and that his legal team has lodged a formal complaint with the party. He asks the court to declare him the rightful winner, order APC to forward his name to INEC, and compel INEC to accept his nomination.
With the suit filed by Chief Michael Diden, only the court can now determine who truly won the APC ticket for Delta South Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.