Precious Nwonu, Enugu
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of former Senator Stella Oduah as the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate for the Anambra North Senatorial District in the 2027 election.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment delivered on Friday, held that failure to possess a National Youth Service Corps certificate does not constitute a ground for disqualifying a candidate from contesting a senatorial election.
The suit was filed by an APGA aspirant, John Okechukwu Emeka, who challenged the nomination of Oduah by the party.
Oduah, APGA and the Independent National Electoral Commission were joined as the first, second and third defendants respectively.
Emeka, through his counsel, A.C. Ozioko, had alleged that Oduah provided false information to INEC in her Form EC9 in connection with her qualification for the 2027 election.
The plaintiff claimed that Oduah had stated in her 2026 INEC form that she had never presented a forged certificate to the commission, while allegedly stating in an earlier affidavit that she had lost her First School Leaving Certificate and NYSC certificate.
He further alleged that the authorities responsible for issuing the certificates had indicated that Oduah was not issued the documents.
The plaintiff also challenged Oduah’s NYSC record, alleging that she had not completed the mandatory national service and had relied on a letter from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association in presenting her qualification to INEC.
The court, however, rejected the suit and held that the allegations of forgery raised by the plaintiff could not properly be determined through the originating summons procedure.
Justice Abdulmalik noted that forgery constitutes a criminal offence and would have to be established to the required standard of proof.
On the NYSC issue, the court specifically held that non-possession of an NYSC certificate was not a basis for disqualifying a candidate from a senatorial election.
The court also upheld arguments by Oduah’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and APGA counsel, Ifeanyi Mberi, that issues concerning the former senator’s qualification to contest public office had previously been determined by an election petition tribunal in 2019.
The court further found that the suit was statute-barred because it was filed outside the 14-day period prescribed by law for challenging the nomination.
APGA submitted Oduah’s name as its candidate for the Anambra North senatorial election on July 7, 2026, while Emeka instituted the action on July 24, three days beyond the statutory period.
The court consequently dismissed the case for lacking merit.
The judgment comes as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 National Assembly elections, with INEC listing the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.
