Peter Obi Ally Morris Monye Accuses NDC of Candidate Manipulation in Delta

A public dispute has erupted within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after Morris Monye, a close ally of Peter Obi, alleged that he was unfairly replaced as the party's House of Representatives candidate for Delta North.

Monye claimed his removal came shortly after influential defectors from the APC joined the party and accused party leaders of manipulating the primary election process in favour of another aspirant. He said he chose not to challenge the outcome following consultations with Peter Obi and other leaders, insisting that his commitment remains to Obi's vision for a better Nigeria rather than personal political ambition.

Monye further accused the party of sidelining loyal members in favour of recent defectors, despite his significant contributions to building the party's structure in his constituency.

According to him, political godfathers imported loyalists from the APC to occupy strategic positions within the party. He also dismissed suggestions that financial influence justified the decision, noting that he had invested heavily in party activities, including donating a party secretariat and funding grassroots mobilisation efforts.

Responding to the allegations, NDC National Publicity Secretary Theo Agada denied that the party's national leadership played any role in Monye's alleged replacement, stating that candidate selection is handled by state-level leaders.

Agada maintained that the national leadership only forwards names submitted by state officials to INEC and rejected claims that money influenced the process. The disagreement has since intensified, with Monye openly questioning Agada's competence as the party's spokesperson, exposing growing tensions within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.