The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is grappling with yet another internal upheaval, as the fallout from its May 29, 2026, party primaries continues to spiral.
The latest blow to the party’s stability comes from Ebonyi State, where a wave of defections and high-profile resignations has thrown the state chapter into disarray.
As of Monday, no fewer than 11 members of the NDC State Executive Committee (SEC) in Ebonyi have officially stepped down from their positions.
Documents obtained by this newspaper show a growing list of departing officials, including the Deputy State Chairman, Comrade Okey Idenyi; the State Secretary, Barrister Aduma Solomon Chinedu; the State Youth Leader, Anthony Nwofe; and his deputy, Emenike Daniel Oroke. Also among the resignees are the State Welfare Officer, Hon. Ajah Cyril, alongside five Local Government Party Chairmen.
In their resignation letters, the aggrieved leaders uniformly cited the controversial conduct of the recent primaries as the driving force behind their decisions.
They specifically alleged that the process was manipulated at the behest of a former governor of the state, leading to the marginalization of popular candidates such as Architect Christian Asaga Nwali, PhD, whose apparent victory was overturned in what they described as a process that ignored the will of party members and the broader electorate.
The disgruntled exco members further accused the NDC’s national leadership of complicity, claiming it prioritized placating a former governor over heeding the grievances of the grassroots.
“When a party abandons internal democracy and the voice of its base, it loses its foundation. More resignations are expected to follow. A party that cannot respect its own members cannot claim to represent the people,” they declared in a joint statement.
In his personal resignation letter addressed to the NDC Chairman of Ezillo Ward 2, dated June 21, 2026, the Deputy State Chairman, Comrade Okey Idenyi, expressed deep regret over the party’s trajectory. He lamented that his considerable efforts to build the party’s structure in Ebonyi—which included financing the state secretariat and helping to constitute executive committees in multiple LGAs—had been rendered meaningless.
“I also made the payment for the office secretariat that is being used by the NDC in Ebonyi State. I hired labourers to clean up the space and made it look good for use. That is where the party still use till date,” he wrote.
Idenyi went on to condemn the primary process as fundamentally flawed. “Regrettably, in recent times, the party has taken a path that is in variance with my democratic belief and the new Nigeria project we envisage by organising a blanket primaries election, asking the party chairman to stay away from the venue, but stayed in a hotel to write results, which was later upheld as the authentic result after abandoning the other aspirants and their supporters at the party secretariat and the LGAs primary election venues.”
He concluded, “It is in the light of the foregoing that I am compelled to offer my resignation from the Nigeria Democratic Congress, effective immediately. While this decision was difficult to take, I, however, believe that it is in the best interest of my teaming supporters and the New Nigeria project.”
Similarly, the State Secretary, Chief Barr. Aduma Solomon Chinedu, tendered his resignation in a separate letter dated June 21, 2026. He cited the national leadership’s deafening silence on the state’s controversies as a key reason for his departure. He noted that despite submitting a formal letter of grievance on May 31 and even passing a vote of no confidence in the State Chairman, Prince Enyinaya Udensi, the party had failed to act.
“I, Chief Barr. Aduma Solomon Chinedu, of the above address, as the State Secretary of the party, hereby resign, hence the party has no democratic principle direction and the rule of law to pursue my political interests thereof,” his letter read.
Protest by C-Sagas supporters
The current crisis follows a previous demonstration on Friday, June 5, where over 1,000 supporters of Architect Christian Asaga Nwali (C-Sagas) protested at the NDC’s Abuja headquarters. The protesters raised alarm over rumors that the party was planning to declare Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh the winner of the Ebonyi Central Senatorial primary, insisting that C-Sagas had clearly won.
Addressing journalists after submitting a petition, the leader of the group, Mrs Joy Ewa, appealed to the party’s national leaders, including Senator Seriake Dickson and presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi, to protect the people’s mandate.
At the time of this report, the NDC national leadership has yet to issue an official response to the escalating crisis or the growing list of resignations in Ebonyi State.
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