The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has reaffirmed that Mrs. Epelle-Asemota Bridgitte Osayuki remains its duly nominated candidate for the Edo South Senatorial District, despite what it described as an error in the candidates’ particulars recently published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to an official statement signed by the party’s Director of New Media and Strategic Communication, Agada Abuh Theophilus, the name and personal details of Mrs. Epelle-Asemota were correctly listed by INEC, but her passport photograph was replaced with that of another aspirant, while the credentials of a different individual were also published.
The party described the mix-up as an embarrassing error allegedly caused by “mischievous elements” within INEC and insisted that the candidate it officially submitted to the electoral commission for Edo South Senatorial District was Mrs. Epelle-Asemota Bridgitte Osayuki.
The NDC stated that under the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, only candidates formally sponsored and submitted by a political party to INEC can be recognised as lawful candidates, stressing that the sponsorship process was duly completed in Mrs. Epelle-Asemota’s case.
It maintained that the responsibility for publishing candidates’ particulars rests solely with INEC and called on the commission to explain how the error occurred.
The party further disclosed that documentary evidence of the successful upload of Mrs. Epelle-Asemota’s name, photograph and credentials had been attached to demonstrate that she was the candidate officially sponsored by the NDC.
The statement also condemned what it described as an orchestrated campaign of hate speech and ethnic profiling targeted at the candidate, warning against attempts to exploit her candidacy to incite ethnic tension in Edo State.
The NDC stressed that it is neither an ethnic nor religious party and reaffirmed that Mrs. Epelle-Asemota is qualified to contest the Senate seat as a Nigerian citizen with deep roots in Edo State.
The party highlighted her political and professional background, noting that she contested the 2023 House of Representatives election under the Labour Party, served for 35 years in the Edo State public service, and held several leadership positions, including Chairperson of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in Edo State and nationally, as well as Secretary of the Trade Union Congress in the state.
It also noted her family ties to Benin, stating that she is the daughter of a Benin woman, the younger sister of the Iyase of Benin, and the wife of retired Major General Steve Asemota, a former General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.
The party argued that criticisms of the candidate should focus on her political views or public record rather than her ethnicity or gender, insisting that attempts to question her identity were unjustified.
Reaffirming its commitment to inclusiveness, the NDC said it has a deliberate policy of promoting women, youths and persons with special needs whenever they emerge as qualified candidates.
While acknowledging that other aspirants who sought the Edo South ticket were qualified party members, the NDC said Mrs. Epelle-Asemota emerged through the primary election process and that the party resisted pressure to substitute her candidature.
The statement disclosed that a national reconciliation committee had already been established to address grievances arising from the party’s primaries, describing post-primary disagreements as a normal feature of democratic politics.
The party urged aggrieved members to embrace reconciliation, refrain from actions capable of undermining the party, and support its efforts to build a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
