2027 elections: Lawyer emerges ADC Enugu West Senatorial candidate

Barr. OAU Onyema of the Akpagu Ikenga Chambers, Enugu, has emerged the senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC) for Enugu West Senatorial District for the  2027 common  election.

Onyema’s emergence adopted a declaration by the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu that dismissed a go well with difficult his candidacy.

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The court docket, presided over by Justice S.O.G. Ogunbanjo, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, dismissed the go well with filed by Evangelist Juliet Ani towards the ADC, Onyema and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as missing advantage and substance.

The go well with, marked FHC/EN/CS/218/2026, had challenged Onyema’s emergence because the social gathering’s senatorial candidate for Enugu West, creating uncertainty across the social gathering’s illustration within the forthcoming election.

Speaking after the judgment, Onyema expressed satisfaction with the result, declaring that the authorized battle was over and reaffirming that he remained the duly recognised ADC candidate for the senatorial district.

“It’s no longer a rumour. It’s a settled affair. As at today, O.A.U. Onyema is the candidate for Enugu West Senatorial District on the platform of the African Democratic Congress,” he stated.

He defined that the controversy arose from the social gathering’s preliminary use of Ani as a placeholder pending the emergence of its substantive candidate, insisting that she neither bought the social gathering’s senatorial nomination type nor made any cost for it.

According to him, the ADC had formally withdrawn Ani’s placeholder standing by way of a letter dated September 22, 2026, and subsequently communicated her withdrawal and his substitute to INEC.

He added that the social gathering submitted one other memorandum to the fee on October 23, requesting that his identify be uploaded as its candidate.

Onyema stated the ADC, in its defence earlier than the court docket, argued that Ani didn’t buy the nomination type, whereas the alleged N2.5 million receipt she relied upon was not mirrored within the social gathering’s monetary data.

He additionally stated the social gathering offered proof that she had personally withdrawn from the association by way of a handwritten letter supported by an affidavit.

He alleged that the litigation was an try by opposition components to frustrate his candidacy, including that the extended authorized dispute had delayed the social gathering’s marketing campaign actions.

He, nonetheless, stated he selected to permit the court docket to find out the matter due to his perception within the rule of regulation.

Although the court docket reportedly declined preliminary purposes looking for to terminate the go well with on procedural grounds, Onyema stated the substantive points have been ultimately resolved within the social gathering’s favour.

He disclosed that the social gathering had additionally sought sanctions towards the plaintiff and her authorized representatives below Section 83(6) of the Electoral Act, which he stated offers for penalties in circumstances involving frivolous election-related litigation.

Reacting to the judgment, the Enugu State ADC Chairman, Major General Chris Eze, reaffirmed the social gathering’s complete assist for Onyema, describing his emergence as a serious achieve for the social gathering.

“ADC in Enugu State is 100 per cent behind Barrister O.A.U. Onyema. I am the personification of ADC in Enugu State today, and I stand both symbolically in the name of the party and physically and philosophically in my individual capacity,” Eze stated.

He described Onyema as a invaluable addition to the social gathering, noting that the authorized problem towards his candidacy mirrored the political weight and affect he delivered to the ADC.