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NDC Edo South Nomination Controversy Deepens as INEC Publication Raises Fresh Questions
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NDC Edo South Nomination Controversy Deepens as INEC Publication Raises Fresh Questions
Fresh developments surrounding the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Edo South Senatorial nomination have sparked renewed debate after documents published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly contained conflicting candidate information.
At the centre of the controversy is Hon. Sunny “BIBI” Aguebor, JP, who emerged as the winner of the NDC Edo South Senatorial Primary Election. According to his campaign, Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the primary election records, obtained through the appropriate legal channels, identify Hon. Sunny Aguebor as the successful candidate from the party’s concluded primary.
However, attention has now shifted to documents reportedly published by INEC on Saturday, 1 August, which allegedly display the passport photograph and personal credentials of Hon. Sunny Aguebor, while one of the nomination forms, EC9, bears the name of another individual, Bridget Epelle Asemota.
If confirmed, the discrepancy raises significant questions that deserve clear and transparent answers.
The issue is no longer about who won the primary. According to the campaign, the Certified True Copies already in its possession establish the declared winner of the election. The concern now is how nomination documents could contain the identity of one individual while carrying the name of another.
Several questions naturally arise.
* How did such a discrepancy occur in an official nomination process?
* Was this merely an administrative error?
* Was there an internal attempt within the party to substitute the duly elected candidate?
* Why would documents reportedly contain Hon. Sunny Aguebor’s photograph, educational qualifications, employment history and party credentials, yet bear another person’s name?
* Who authorised the submission of such documents?
These are questions that only the leadership of the NDC and those responsible for the nomination process can answer.
The development has also fuelled public speculation over whether powerful interests within the party attempted to alter the outcome of the primary after the election had been concluded. Some political observers have questioned whether there was an effort to impose a different candidate, while others have revived previous allegations made in the public domain concerning the transparency of the party’s nomination process.
These remain matters of public speculation and should be addressed through facts and official explanations rather than assumptions.
Equally concerning is the implication for Nigeria’s electoral process. Every nomination document submitted to INEC is expected to accurately identify the candidate it represents. Any inconsistency involving the identity of a candidate deserves immediate clarification in the interest of transparency, public confidence and the integrity of the electoral system.
Political analysts say the controversy is unlikely to disappear until the NDC provides a comprehensive explanation of how such an apparent mismatch occurred and whether the documents submitted truly reflected the decision reached by delegates at the primary election.
Despite the controversy, supporters of Hon. Sunny “BIBI” Aguebor remain confident that the documentary record favours their candidate. They point to the Certified True Copies obtained through lawful channels and maintain that the official records of the primary clearly recognise Hon. Sunny Aguebor as the authentic winner of the NDC Edo South Senatorial Primary Election.
As legal and political scrutiny continues, many believe one fact remains central to the dispute:
The outcome of the primary election itself is not what is in question. The real question is how conflicting nomination records came into existence after a winner had already emerged.
For now, attention remains on the NDC leadership and the relevant electoral authorities to provide the clarification that party members, supporters and the Nigerian public deserve.
