Frontline aspirant of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency election, Amb. Lotanna Ikebunwa, has called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to declare him the winner of the party’s primary election, insisting that he secured the highest number of votes cast during the exercise held on May 29, 2026.
Aspirants under the platform of the party all over the country are worried that no announcement was made, and no candidates emerged from primary elections of the party held all over the country since May 29, 2026, a development that threw supporters into deep confusion.
Many supporters are already claiming that their choice aspirants have been shortchanged with aspirants with the deepest pockets, a development they say will certainly affect the party’s fortune in the 2027 general election.
In a statement from Amb. Ikebunwa’s Media Office on Sunday, June 7, the top aspirant urged the party leadership to uphold what he described as the mandate freely given to him by party members during the primary election.
Ikebunwa insisted that officials deployed to conduct the primary election compromised the process by aligning with interests determined to frustrate the will of party members, after it became evident that he enjoyed overwhelming support across the federal constituency.
According to him, “Available video evidences show how the electoral process was manipulated after it became clear that my popularity had surpassed those of my opponents in the three local government areas that make up the federal constituency.”
He said he was prepared to present the evidence before the appropriate party authorities to ensure that justice prevails, adding that the party’s mantra of service to the people should not be thrown to the dustbin by way of allowing the wishes of party members who came out in large numbers to vote for him to be a wasted exercise.
Ikebunwa further dismissed claims that a particular aspirant was asked to purchase nomination forms, when he did not win the primary election; saying that such claims is contrary to the principles upon which the party is founded.
He maintained that the particular individual being allegedly considered for the NDC ticket for Nnewi Federal Constituency does not enjoy the mandate of the people, and would be unable to win the election for the party in the Federal Constituency.
Ikebunwa insisted that he secured over 1,000 votes in Nnewi North local government area and 503 votes in Nnewi South local government area, while also claiming that the vote-counting process in Ekwusigo local government area was disrupted before completion, even though 59 votes were allotted to him; adding that he possesses video evidences to support his claims.
He said, “I scored above 1,000 votes in Nnewi North. Party members stood by me and voted for me. I secured 503 votes in Nnewi South. In Ekwusigo, the counting process was not concluded on my line, and the mandate of the people was deliberately truncated when it became clear that I was also leading in that local government area.”
The frontline aspirant maintained that the outcome of the primary election reflected true wishes of party members. He, therefore, urged the party’s National Working Committee to announce him as the rightful winner based on the total number of votes cast.
“We are waiting for the Nigeria Democratic Congress to submit my name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so that it could be published as candidate and flag bearer of the party. The NWC of the NDC should do the right thing by recognising and announcing the aspirant who won the election. Any arrangement aimed at imposing a candidate who did not secure the majority of votes will be challenged through legitimate channels,” Ikebunwa said.
He called on the NDC leadership to protect the integrity and internal democratic process of the party by ensuring that the aspirant who secured the highest number of votes emerges as the party’s flag bearer for the forthcoming House of Representatives election.
