Opposition figure and member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has cautioned the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) against any attempt to replace the winner of the party’s House of Representatives ticket for the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Hon. Thaddeus Attah, with Mrs. Ekong Davis, in the 2027 election.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ugochinyere described reports of a planned substitution of Attah’s candidacy as a major test of the NDC’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and internal democracy.
He warned that opposition parties would struggle to gain the confidence of Nigerians if they failed to uphold the democratic principles they advocate.
“The developments within the NDC are deeply concerning. As opposition political parties, we can only expect Nigerians to take us seriously if we practice the values we preach. Any attempt to undermine the outcome of a duly conducted primary election, especially in Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, raises serious questions about our commitment to democratic principles,” he said.
The lawmaker questioned why a candidate who emerged victorious through the party’s primary election should have his mandate threatened because another aspirant occupies a national office within the party.
According to him, Hon. Thaddeus Attah participated in the primary election and legitimately secured victory, making any move to replace him unacceptable.
“Hon. Thaddeus Attah participated in the electoral process and emerged victorious. It is unacceptable that anyone would seek to remove his name and replace it with that of a candidate who did not win the primary election,” Ugochinyere stated.
He also argued that the party’s constitution requires any national officer seeking elective office to resign at least three months before participating in a primary election, insisting that the rules should be respected.
Ugochinyere said it was unfair for a serving federal lawmaker who joined the party’s movement in good faith, contested the primary election and won, to now face uncertainty over his candidacy ahead of the elections.
He appealed to the NDC leadership and its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, to intervene immediately and ensure that the outcome of the primary election is upheld.
“The developments in NDC are concerning. This attempt to check winners of primaries, especially in Eti-Osa, is troubling. As opposition political parties, we can only be taken seriously when we resemble what we preach. Do they want people to go to court and void the entire process?” he asked.
He added that many politicians joined the NDC on the understanding that they would be given a fair opportunity to contest for elective offices, stressing that altering the outcome of the primary would undermine confidence in the party.
“I find it very offensive that a federal lawmaker who joins a movement he has confidence in, participates in the electoral process and wins, will now be begging for his name to be retained because there’s a national officer who wants the seat,” Ugochinyere said.
Calling the controversy a defining moment for the opposition party, he urged the NDC leadership to restore Attah’s candidacy without delay.
“This Eti-Osa issue is a clear test of the readiness of the NDC to be an opposition party that’s rooted in the principle of transparency and fairness,” Ugochinyere added.
