BREAKING: Oredo Federal Seat – Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama Bombs INEC With Further Affidavit, Alleges Frank Omosigho Contested APC and NDC Primaries 9 Days Apart

The battle for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC ticket for Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State has taken a dramatic twist as *Dr. Igbinosa Ogbeide-Ihama* today filed a blistering Further and Better Affidavit through *Impact Solicitors & Co. Law Firm* at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in *Suit No: FHC/ABJ/C8/1859/2026 – Dr. Igbinosa Ogbeide-Ihama vs INEC, NDC & Hon. Frank Omosigho*.

In the processes filed this morning, Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama is asking the Court to nullify the nomination of Hon. Frank Uyi Omosigho and declare him as the authentic NDC candidate.

*The Core Allegation – Double Primary and Unlawful Substitution*

According to the affidavit deposed to personally by Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama, the NDC primary for Oredo Federal Constituency was held on *29th May, 2026* at the Oredo Local Government Headquarters, Benin City, which he participated in and won with majority of delegate votes.

He alleged that the 2nd Respondent, NDC, refused to publish the result, only to upload the name of the 3rd Respondent, Hon. Frank Omosigho, on the INEC portal on *1st August, 2026*, substituting his name.

In a damning revelation contained in paragraphs 38 and 44 of his Further Affidavit, Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama attached video and documentary evidence showing that Hon. Omosigho had earlier contested the *APC primary for Oredo East Constituency on 20th May, 2026 and lost woefully, scoring 69 votes against 3,120 votes scored by Ede Edebiri Edwin*.

“Nine days after losing the APC primary, he smuggled his way into NDC after giving money to certain individuals and his name was unlawfully substituted for mine,” the Plaintiff deposed.

He further exhibited campaign flyers marked as *Exhibit B* showing Hon. Omosigho parading himself as both APC and NDC candidate for 2027 simultaneously.

*INEC Accused of Shielding Result*

In his Reply to INEC’s Counter-Affidavit, Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama accused the electoral body of abandoning its neutrality.

He stated that he applied twice to INEC for Certified True Copies of the primary result sheet and monitoring report of 29th May, 2026, *Exhibit A*, but INEC refused to oblige him.

“The 1st Respondent monitored the primary under Section 84(1) Electoral Act, 2026. It is in best position to produce the result. Instead of producing it, it filed a preliminary objection calling my case frivolous and speculative,” he stated.

He urged the Court to invoke *Section 167(d) of the Evidence Act* against INEC and NDC for withholding the authentic result.

*Why Frank’s Defence Will Collapse – The Legal Landmines*

The Plaintiff disputed Frank’s claim of winning with *2,182 votes*. He described the “Primary Election Result Summary Sheet” paraded by Frank as disputed, contradictory and not authentic, attaching multiple conflicting results for the same primary as *Exhibits AB and BC*.

On jurisdiction, Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama argued his suit filed on *13th August, 2026* is not statute-barred. He relied on the Supreme Court decision in *Karshi vs Gwagwa (2022)*, that in substitution cases, time starts to run from date of publication/upload of the substituted name – 1st August, 2026 – not date of primary.

He also attacked Frank’s Preliminary Objection sworn by one *Yusuf Hassan Oyeyemi*, a lawyer in his counsel’s chambers, stating the lawyer has no personal knowledge of the primary and his affidavit is hearsay.

On party autonomy, he argued that *Section 88(2) of the Electoral Act 2026* gives an aspirant who complains of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and party guidelines locus to approach Federal High Court, and this overrides Section 83(5) relied upon by Frank. He noted that Sections 77(5)-(7) and 84(2) of the Act which Frank relied on to oust jurisdiction were declared unconstitutional in July 2026.

*What He Wants*

Dr. Ogbeide-Ihama is asking the Court to:

1. Dismiss the Preliminary Objections of INEC and Hon. Omosigho;
2. Order INEC and NDC to produce the authentic result sheet and monitoring report of 29th May, 2026;
3. Hold that Hon. Omosigho was not a registered member of NDC, contested under APC, and was not qualified to contest NDC primary under *Section 84(13) Electoral Act* which prohibits contesting primaries of two parties in same cycle;
4. Nullify the nomination of Hon. Omosigho and declare Dr. Igbinosa Ogbeide-Ihama as winner of the NDC primary and order INEC to upload his name as NDC candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency.

The matter comes up for hearing of all pending applications on 5th October, 2026.