ADC Governorship Primary in Benue Faces Court Challenge
A fresh legal dispute has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Benue State, following a lawsuit filed by governorship aspirant Chief Joseph Waya against the party’s candidate, Herman Hembe, over the conduct of the 2026 governorship primary election.
Waya has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to nullify the primary election reportedly held between May 22 and May 24, 2026, with the outcome announced on May 25. He argues that the exercise was not conducted in line with the ADC Constitution and therefore lacks legitimacy.
According to court filings, the plaintiff contends that the primary was organized by a party structure whose congresses had previously been invalidated by a court judgment delivered on April 29, 2026. He maintains that the body responsible for conducting the election was not the legally recognized organ of the party.
Waya also questioned Herman Hembe’s eligibility to participate in the contest, alleging that the former member of the House of Representatives was serving a three-month suspension imposed by the Benue State Executive Committee of the ADC on March 27, 2026. He argued that under Article 9(iii) of the party’s constitution, Hembe was not qualified to be voted for during the primary.
The suit further alleges that the exercise violated party guidelines and that certain aspects of the process were conducted outside the officially approved dates.
Before initiating legal action, Waya and another governorship aspirant, Peter Adejoh, had separately petitioned the ADC national leadership, expressing concerns about the conduct of the primary election and demanding a review of the results.
Both aspirants also called on the party to establish a new governorship electoral committee made up of individuals who are neither indigenes nor residents of Benue State, arguing that such a measure would ensure neutrality, transparency, and credibility in any future primary election.
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