The Secretary of the Labour Party in Ebonyi State, Comrade Igiri Innocent, has petitioned the party’s Presidential Screening Committee in Abuja, calling for the disqualification of one of the party’s presidential aspirants, Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe, from participating in the 2026 presidential primary election.
In the petition dated May 20, 2026 and addressed to the Chairman of the Labour Party Presidential Screening Committee in the Federal Capital Territory, Igiri alleged that the aspirant failed to meet critical constitutional and party requirements needed to contest for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Allegation Of Dual Citizenship
The petitioner argued that Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe was constitutionally ineligible to contest for the presidency on the grounds of alleged British citizenship.
According to the petition, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, provides under Section 131 that any person seeking election into the office of President must be a Nigerian citizen by birth, must attain the prescribed age, and must belong to a political party.
Igiri further claimed that Nwigwe had allegedly acquired British citizenship through registration or naturalisation, which, according to him, amounts to voluntary acquisition of another country’s citizenship and declaration of allegiance to a foreign government.
The petition maintained that such a status allegedly runs contrary to constitutional provisions guiding eligibility for the Nigerian presidency.
Questions Over Age Requirement
The Ebonyi Labour Party Secretary also alleged that the aspirant failed to satisfy the constitutional age requirement for presidential contestants.
Citing Section 131(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, the petitioner stated that any individual seeking election into the office of President must have attained the age of 35 years.
He alleged that Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe, born in October 1991, is currently 34 years old and therefore does not meet the constitutional threshold required to participate in the presidential race.
Dispute Over Party Membership
Beyond the constitutional concerns, the petition also questioned the aspirant’s membership status within the Labour Party structure in Ebonyi State.
Igiri, who described himself as a two time acting chairman and current state secretary of the party, said he had neither seen nor heard of Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe as a recognised member of the party in Ebonyi State.
He argued that even if the aspirant registered through the party’s online platform, such registration alone could not substitute for active participation within the party structure.
According to him, the aspirant had allegedly never attended meetings, paid dues, or identified with the grassroots leadership of the party in the state.
“The move is very suspicious,” the petition stated, while insisting that the aspirant was unknown to the state chapter of the party.
Call For Disqualification
Based on the allegations raised, the Ebonyi Labour Party Secretary urged the Presidential Screening Committee to carefully examine the constitutional provisions cited in the petition and disqualify Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe from contesting in the party’s 2026 presidential primary.
The petition adds to growing political scrutiny surrounding the emergence of aspirants ahead of the Labour Party’s presidential selection process, as internal party stakeholders continue to debate issues of eligibility, party loyalty, and constitutional compliance.
As of the time of filing this report, Samuel Chibuzor Nwigwe had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the petition.
