Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Twenty-one All Progressives Congress (APC) ward chairmanship aspirants in the February 18 ward and local government congresses in Anambra State are currently battling the party in court.
They have dragged the party to the Federal High Court in Awka, asking that they be issued with forms for the party’s ward congresses.
The forms for which they paid the sum of N20 million into the party’s coffers if issued, they contended, would have also entitled them to appear for ward screening and congresses of the February 18, 2026, or at any adjourned date, thereon, in line with the electoral guidelines of the party.
Chief G. Tagbo Ike, (SAN), counsel to the 21 applicants leading 11 other lawyers in the chambers of Ike, Ike and Associates, Arena of Law, Carr Street, Enugu had, on February 16, 2026, filed a Suit No: FHC /AWK/CS/50/2026, on behalf of the applicants at the Federal High Court, Awka Judicial division.
The court is presided over by Hon. Justice Bala Khalifa Mohammed Usman.
Joined in the suit are APC, as first respondent; the National Chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; Chairman, APC Nationwide Congresses and Convention, H.E. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, and Hon. Basil Ejidike, sued as for himself and as representative of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of Anambra APC.
Others are Senator Uche Ekwunife, as Chairperson of state caucus and consensus committee, APC, Anambra State, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They were joined in the matter as second to seventh respondents, respectively.
The plaintiffs are seeking declaration of the court that the failure of the first respondent to issue forms for ward congresses to the applicants upon payment for forms is segregation and in breach of the first respondent’s electoral guidelines, as well as sections 40 and 42 of the 1999 constitution of federal republic of Nigeria as amended, and duty implicit in Exhibit “B”- which is the adjusted APC 2026 schedule of nationwide congresses, national congresses, national convention, and related activities.
They are also seeking a declaration by the court that it is incumbent on the first respondent to refund to the applicants the sum of N20 million paid to it in the event that no ward congresses were held for them.
They also seek a perpetual injunction restraining the first to sixth respondents from, howsoever, conducting the February 18, 2026, ward congresses in Anambra State at any adjournment date, until applicants are issued forms for the exercise, attend screening, and are billed to stand for ward congresses at an adjourned date.
In another relief, they are seeking a perpetual mandatory order of court setting aside the ward congresses in the 326 wards in Anambra State, in the event of conduct of the same without the participation of the applicants.
Again, they seek the award of N100 million against the party as the first respondent, down to the second to sixth respondents jointly and severally for breach of the APC constitution and adjusted APC 2026 schedule of nationwide congresses, national convention and related activities, as well as exemplary and general damages for all inconveniences caused them.
They said they seek the reliefs on the ground that they are members of APC, a voluntary organisation pursuant to section 40 of the Nigerian constitution 1999, as amended, and as a registered political party in Nigeria pursuant to section 222 of the same constitution.
On this ground, they are entitled to contest for ward chairmanship positions in 326 wards in the state in the February 18 ward congresses in their respective wards.
The applicants said they made block payments along with others aspiring for local government offices on February 9, 2026, but the second, third and fourth respondents’ secretariat denied the forms duly paid for in an umbrella name of J. P. C Millan Nigeria Ltd.
The forms, they contended, were never issued to them, adding that a staggering sum of N20 million was paid into the first respondent’s bank account.
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