…reliefs sought in the APC ward congress lawsuit is a declaration that the party must refund the N20 million.
Awka, Nigeria — The iNews Times reports that an APC ward congress lawsuit has been filed at the Federal High Court in Awka by twenty-one ward chairmanship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, challenging what they described as undemocratic conduct during the February 18 ward and local government congresses after paying N20 million for nomination forms.
The aspirants are seeking judicial intervention over the alleged failure of the party to issue them nomination forms despite payment, thereby denying them the opportunity to participate in the ward screening and congresses in line with the party’s electoral guidelines.
In the suit marked FHC/AWK/CS/50/2026, filed on February 16, 2026, before the Federal High Court sitting in the Awka Judicial Division, the applicants are asking the court to declare that they were entitled to be issued forms for the ward congresses.
The matter is presided over by Hon. Justice Bala Khalifa Mohammed Usman.
The plaintiffs, who filed the APC ward congress lawsuit for themselves and as representatives of other aspirants across the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra State, argued that upon payment of the prescribed fees, they were entitled to receive nomination forms, undergo screening, and contest in the February 18, 2026 ward congresses or any adjourned date thereof.
Leading counsel to the applicants, Chief G. Tagbo Ike (SAN), alongside eleven other lawyers from Ike, Ike and Associates, Arena of Law, Carr Street, Enugu, filed the action on their behalf.
Joined as respondents in the APC ward congress lawsuit are:
- The All Progressives Congress (APC) as 1st respondent
- Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of APC (2nd respondent)
- Senator Ajibola Basiru, National Secretary (3rd respondent)
- H.E. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, Chairman of APC Nationwide Congresses and Convention (4th respondent)
- Hon. Basil Ejidike, sued for himself and as representative of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of APC Anambra State (5th respondent)
- Senator Uche Ekwunife, Chairperson of the APC State Caucus and Consensus Committee in Anambra State (6th respondent)
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 7th respondent
The applicants contended in their statement of claim that they are financially up-to-date members of the APC and qualified aspirants to the offices of ward chairmen in the state’s 326 wards.
They maintained that they instituted the APC ward congress lawsuit for themselves and as representatives of other aspirants in 305 wards, excluding those they described as “cohorts” of the 5th and 6th respondents.
According to them, the failure of the 1st respondent to issue nomination forms after collecting payment constitutes segregation and is in breach of the APC electoral guidelines, Sections 40 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as obligations implicit in Exhibit “B”, the adjusted APC 2026 schedule of nationwide congresses, national convention and related activities.
The plaintiffs told the court that a total sum of N20,000,000 was paid into the APC account (Account No: 1223069612) with Zenith Bank Plc under the umbrella name of J.P.C. Millan Nig. Ltd. as block payment for ward and local government aspirants on February 9, 2026.
However, they alleged that despite confirmation of payment, the Secretariat of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents failed to issue the duly paid nomination forms.
They further argued that it would amount to unjust enrichment for the party to retain the N20 million paid for the sole purpose of purchasing nomination forms while denying them participation in the congresses.
Among the reliefs sought in the APC ward congress lawsuit is a declaration that the party must refund the N20 million if ward congresses were not held for them or if they were unlawfully excluded.
They are also asking the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the 1st to 6th respondents from conducting or recognizing the February 18, 2026 ward congresses in Anambra State, whether on the scheduled date or any adjourned date, until the applicants are issued nomination forms, screened and allowed to contest.
Additionally, the aspirants are seeking a perpetual mandatory order setting aside the ward congresses conducted in the 326 wards of Anambra State if carried out without their participation.
The applicants are also demanding N100 million in damages against the APC and the 2nd to 6th respondents jointly and severally for alleged breach of the party’s constitution, violation of the adjusted 2026 congress schedule, and for general and exemplary damages arising from what they described as inconvenience and infringement of their rights.
They argued that as members of a voluntary organisation under Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and as members of a registered political party under Section 222, they are constitutionally entitled to aspire to ward chairmanship positions.
The plaintiffs further cited Article 27 of the APC Constitution, which provides for a four-year tenure for party offices, noting that the tenure of ward executives in Anambra State had expired prior to the February 18, 2026 congresses.
They alleged that internal party efforts to address the matter proved unsuccessful. According to them, they and other party members wrote an open letter to the party’s national leadership, urging intervention to ensure a free, fair and transparent congress in Anambra State.
However, they claimed that the party’s top echelon failed to check what they described as the excesses of the 5th and 6th respondents, making judicial review inevitable.
“It is unconscionable in equity for the 1st respondent to receive N20 million from the applicants for the sole purpose of purchasing nomination forms and then deny them those forms,” they stated in court documents.
“It amounts to unjustifiable enrichment recoverable in law. In the circumstances, the respondents have thrown the applicants under the bus.”
The aspirants therefore urged the court to suspend the ward congresses pending resolution of the dispute and to compel the party to issue nomination forms, allow screening and permit them to contest.
They insisted that if the congresses proceeded without their participation, such exercises should be nullified in the interest of justice.
As of the time of filing this report, hearing in the APC ward congress lawsuit is pending before the Federal High Court in Awka.
