Prince Michael Diden has testified at the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing the reported results of the May 18, 2026, Delta South All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary as a blatant act of theft and an assault on democratic principles. Diden, a primary election contestant, claims the collated figures for the eight local government areas do not represent the actual outcome of the voting process.
In his legal challenge against Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas, Diden alleges that the senator, alongside the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), conspired to falsify results to secure a victory for Onowakpo. Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Bankole Joel Akomolafe, Diden stated he led by a significant margin based on reports from his own agents stationed at every ward.
The plaintiff, a former head of both DESOPADEC and Warri North Local Government, requested that the court invalidate the contested results and restore the totals derived from his local field reports. During cross-examination, Diden dismissed the APC’s official election committee documents, stating he never received an authentic result summary. He intends to rely on video evidence of the election, which will be presented to the court to support his claims.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar has formally accepted various exhibits into evidence. Following the conclusion of Diden’s testimony, Senator Onowakpo’s legal representative, Prince Lukman Fagbemi, requested an adjournment to begin the defense case. The court subsequently scheduled the next session for July 20.
In his formal suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1094/2026, Diden asserts that he rightfully won the direct primary and should be recognized as the party’s candidate for the upcoming January 2027 election. He argues that the APC disregarded its own rules regarding the formal announcement of results, accusing Onowakpo of improperly declaring himself the winner through media channels before the official party briefing.
