TDThe Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has been thrown into fresh turmoil as a wave of resignations sweeps through its Ebonyi State chapter, deepening the controversies that have trailed the party’s primaries held nationwide on May 29, 2026.
No fewer than 11 members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) have resigned.
The resigned include:
- Deputy State Chairman Comrade Okey Idenyi,
- State Secretary Barrister Aduma Solomon Chinedu,
- State Youth Leader Anthony Nwofe,
- Deputy Youth Leader Emenike Daniel Oroke, and,
- State Welfare Officer Hon. Ajah Cyril.
In addition, five Local Government Party Chairmen have also stepped down, signalling a major fracture in the party’s grassroots structure.
Reasons Behind NDC Mass Exit
The resignations, contained in letters obtained by reporters, were attributed to alleged manipulation of the party primaries.
The aggrieved officials accused the NDC’s national leadership of compromising internal democracy to favour a former governor of the state, Senator Dr. Sam Egwu, while sidelining popular aspirants such as Architect Christian Asaga Nwali (widely known as C-Sagas).
In his resignation letter dated June 21, Deputy State Chairman Okey Idenyi lamented that his efforts to entrench the party in Ebonyi had been betrayed.
He alleged that the primaries were hijacked, with results written in hotels rather than at designated venues, leaving aspirants and their supporters abandoned.
“I constituted structures across Ebonyi, paid for the party secretariat, and worked tirelessly to build NDC in the state.
“But the primaries were compromised, aspirants were sidelined, and supporters attacked.
“The process was corrupt and does not reflect the will of the people,” Idenyi wrote.
Similarly, State Secretary Barrister Aduma Solomon Chinedu accused the national leadership of ignoring petitions and votes of no confidence against the State Chairman, Prince Enyinaya Udensi.
Idenyi described the party as lacking “democratic principle, direction and rule of law”.
He insists that the interests of foundation members were being undermined.
Protests by Supporters
The crisis comes on the heels of a June 5 protest in Abuja, where over 1,000 supporters of C-Sagas stormed the NDC headquarters.
The protesters alleged attempts to declare Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh winner of the Ebonyi Central Senatorial primary despite claims that Nwali had won convincingly.
Led by Mrs Joy Ewa, the group submitted a petition to the party leadership.
It appealed to National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson and presidential candidate Peter Obi to intervene.
“The people’s mandate must not be stolen. C-Sagas clearly won the primary election,” Ewa told journalists.
Implications for NDC
The mass resignations raise serious questions about the NDC’s internal cohesion and credibility ahead of the January 2027 general elections.
Analysts warn that the party risks losing its foothold in Ebonyi, a state considered strategic for its expansion in the Southeast.
Political observers note that the crisis underscores a broader challenge within the NDC: balancing grassroots demands with the influence of political heavyweights.
The silence of the national leadership in the face of mounting defections has further fuelled speculation about deep divisions within the party.
As of press time, the NDC national leadership has not issued an official response to the resignations.
However, insiders suggest that more defections may follow if urgent steps are not taken to restore confidence among members.
This development marks yet another test for the NDC, which has positioned itself as a reformist alternative in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Whether it can weather the storm in Ebonyi and rebuild trust among its members remains to be seen.
