The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ebonyi State, Ambassador Uka Chris Ndubuisi, has challenged the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Igwe Nwagu, over the announcement of Hon. Engene Stephanie Amaka as his purported replacement in the 2027 governorship race.
Ndubuisi, who insisted that he remained the party’s duly nominated deputy governorship candidate, said he had neither withdrawn from the contest nor been lawfully removed from the ticket.
In a press statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Abakaliki, he disclosed that he had not submitted any letter of withdrawal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that his name remained on the commission’s portal as the NDC’s deputy governorship candidate.
He questioned the legal basis for announcing another person as his replacement, arguing that the action raised concerns about compliance with the applicable electoral provisions.
Citing Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2026, Ndubuisi maintained that the substitution of a candidate whose name had already been submitted to INEC was subject to specific legal conditions, particularly circumstances involving death or withdrawal.
“Given that I have neither died nor withdrawn from the race, I call on the NDC leadership and INEC to clarify the legal basis and procedure for the announcement of another person as my replacement,” he said.
The deputy governorship candidate called on the relevant authorities to review the party’s official nomination records and the applicable provisions of the electoral law to establish the status of the disputed candidacy.
Ndubuisi also expressed disappointment over the development, recalling his contributions to Nwagu’s emergence as the NDC governorship candidate.
According to him, he stood by Nwagu when his candidacy reportedly faced opposition from some stakeholders in Ebonyi State and facilitated his presentation to the party’s national leadership.
“At a time when his candidacy faced opposition from some stakeholders in Ebonyi State, I stood by him and facilitated his presentation to the national leadership,” he stated.
He subsequently appealed to the NDC national leadership, the Ebonyi State chapter of the party and INEC to intervene in the matter, stressing the need for transparency, fairness and adherence to due process in resolving the dispute.
Ndubuisi further urged his supporters to remain calm and pursue their political engagements peacefully, cautioning party members and the general public against treating the announcement of his purported replacement as a final determination of his status on the party’s ticket.
Reaffirming his position, he said he had not withdrawn from the race and would explore the appropriate channels to seek clarification and ensure that the matter was resolved in accordance with the law.
The dispute is expected to require clarification from the NDC leadership and INEC regarding the status of the party’s deputy governorship nomination and the procedure, if any, followed in announcing a replacement.
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