By TAIYE AGBAJE

Some members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Imo have filed direct criminal complaint before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja against two chieftains of the party for alleged forgery.

The complainants, in the matter which was been assigned to Court 5 on Monday, want the court to order the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police to immediately arrest, investigate and prosecute the defendants in the court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the criminal complaint was brought by 20 members of the party in the Imo East Senatorial District of the state.

They accused Babatunde Falli and Teddy Obey of issuing false nomination list despite obtaining payments for expression of interest forms of the party.

The complainants informed the court that the party’s electoral committee deceived them about primary elections that never held and on June 17, produced a fake result with list of names from a primary that never held in the various state and federal constituencies.

The complainants are Uche Nwole, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Chigbu Uzoma, Oshieze Vincent Ehirim, Hector Nnadi, Uche Asoluka, Odaghara Chijioke, Sixtus Nnamdi Obasi, Peter Ogbede, and Ikesinachi Onwuaka.

Others are Mike Nwachukwu, Kelechi Luke Anyanwu, Opara Donald Mba, Emeka James, Onyema, Uche Ugo, Nkwocha Kennedy, Possible Mjemeru, Okeke Maxwell, Ogu Ugonna and Chidi Cally Egwe.

In the complaint with number: CR/1422/644/2026; the aggrieved members claimed that they paid N3 million for Senate expression of interest form, N2 million for House of Representatives and N1 million for state houses of assembly.

They said the payments were made as instructed by the NDC Guidelines for 2027 General Election signed by the National Chairman, Sen. Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe and National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, from May 13 to May 17.

They explained that after making the required payments, Nwole specifically made a total of N25 million in five installments as levy/contribution for the growth of the party through Fidelity Bank and Globus Bank transfers.

The complainants also stated that they made themselves available for screening on May 19 in compliance with the guideline, but were disappointed.

According to the complainants, the party abdicated from its rules contained in paragraphs 1© and (d), which was to announce the result of the screening exercise and to issue nomination forms to prequalified aspirants, but the party directed them to proceed to their respective constituencies for the primary on May 28.

They averred that on May 28, at about 4.30pm, Falli, who is the chairman of the electoral committee sent to Imo, initially requested them to agree on consensus candidates from their constituencies, but later issued a circular directing that the primaries would hold on May 29.

They, however, alleged that the primary election was not conducted because of the hijack of the electoral committee officials.

“Regrettably, on June 17, the complainants saw a publication of fake results circulating on NDC WhatsApp platforms wherein Alli sent results of primary elections that never held in various state/federal constituencies and in Imo East senatorial district of Imo State.

“The said result contains figures of votes purportedly scored by candidates from a primary election that never held anywhere in Imo and this amounts to forgery, criminal breach of trust, corrupt inducement to return a candidate as winner of a primary election that never held.”

They stated that the alleged offence breach Sections 118© and 119(1)(a) and (c), and 124(3) of the Electoral Act 2026.

No date has been fixed for the hearing. (NAN)

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