By Napoleon Ehiremen
Former Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Micheal Diden, on Monday appeared before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court as hearing commenced in his suit challenging the outcome of the APC Delta South Senatorial primary.
Diden, popularly known as Ejele, arrived at Courtroom 5 with supporters to witness proceedings in the case before Mohammed Umar.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1094/2026, lists Joel Onowakpo, the All Progressives Congress> (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission> (INEC) as respondents.
Justice Umar had adjourned the matter to July 6 for definite hearing after directing all parties to exchange relevant court processes.
Diden is contesting the declaration of Senator Onowakpo as winner of the APC direct primary conducted on May 18, 2026, insisting that he secured the highest number of valid votes and should be recognised as the party’s candidate for the 2027 Delta South Senatorial election.
In his suit, filed by a legal team led by Bankole Joel Akomolafe, Diden alleged that Onowakpo manipulated the primary results by announcing what he described as forged figures, contrary to the APC National Working Committee’s directive that only the national headquarters in Abuja should officially collate and announce the results.
He further alleged that the first defendant falsely declared himself winner through media publications and a viral video, claiming the announcement was intended to mislead party members and the public.
According to Diden, authentic ward-by-ward results in the possession of his agents across the eight local government areas in Delta South show that he polled 96,893 votes, while Onowakpo secured 31,918 votes.
The plaintiff also told the court that APC leaders, stakeholders, women, youths and members from the district petitioned the party’s national leadership to reject what they described as the fraudulent declaration, while his lawyers separately lodged a formal complaint with the APC National Chairman.
Among the reliefs sought, Diden is asking the court to declare him the lawful winner of the APC primary, order the APC to forward his name to INEC as the party’s candidate for the 2027 Delta South Senatorial election, and compel INEC to accept his nomination.
