Labour Party Aspirant Drags Party to Court Over Alleged Imposition of Candidate in Benue

Jonah Ihie, a House of Representatives aspirant for the Oju/Obi Federal Constituency in Benue State, has filed a lawsuit against the Labour Party’s National Working Committee. The legal action challenges the party’s decision to name a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker, Blessed Onah, as its candidate for the 2027 general elections, citing alleged candidate imposition.

Ihie contends that Onah’s emergence as the party’s flagbearer was irregular, claiming that Onah joined the party only weeks before the primary election. According to Ihie, he was the only aspirant who purchased a nomination form for the constituency, and he expressed frustration that the party leadership proceeded with Onah’s candidacy despite his formal petitions regarding Onah’s eligibility and membership status.

“Onah couldn’t have just become our party flag bearer within two weeks of defecting from the PDP,” Ihie stated during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. He alleged that the process lacked transparency, noting that no legitimate primary election took place to justify the substitution.

The controversy has also drawn criticism from local party officials. A group of 23 party chieftains in Benue State, led by the immediate past state chairman, Emmanuel Agida, issued a joint statement distancing themselves from Onah’s candidacy. The group warned the public against associating with him, maintaining that the current party executives in the state do not recognize his nomination.

In response to these allegations, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, defended the party’s position, asserting that internal records show Onah resigned from the PDP in late April and officially joined the Labour Party on May 1, 2026. Asogwa noted that this timeline aligns with the party’s submission of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Acknowledging that the matter is now subject to litigation, Asogwa declined to comment further, stating that the issue is *sub judice*. The party maintains that it will allow the judicial process to determine the validity of the candidacy.