Court to Hear Delta South Senatorial Ticket Dispute

The Federal High Court in Abuja has set a date of July 6 for a definitive hearing on a lawsuit concerning the disputed Delta South Senatorial ticket. The suit, filed by Princ Michael Diden, challenges the declaration of Joel Onowakpo as the winner of the APC primary election conducted on May 18, 2026.

Diden, who is the former chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), claims that the election results were manipulated and that he received the highest number of valid votes. The court proceedings included discussions about the filing of defense statements and the need for timely exchanges of necessary documents.

Justice Moham Umar urged the parties to agree on a short adjournment to avoid delays. Diden's legal team, led by Bankol Joel Akomolaf, accuses Onowakpo and the APC of announcing false results that misled the public, asserting that Diden won by a significant margin.