2027: Court reserves judgment in SDP suit challenging INEC over Adebayo’s candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the listing of Adewole Adebayo as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The party filed the suit alongside its National Organising Secretary, Dr Chukwuma Ogbonna, who is listed as the second plaintiff.

They accused INEC of failing to recognise the candidate they claimed was duly nominated by the party.

According to the plaintiffs, the SDP conducted its presidential primary election and national convention on May 20, 2026, in Abuja, under the leadership of its National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam.

The plaintiffs told the court that the primary election was observed by INEC, which issued a certified true copy of its monitoring report.

Following the outcome of the exercise, the SDP said it submitted the name and personal particulars of the winner, Hon. Abimbola Akeem Atanda, to INEC as its presidential candidate.

However, the plaintiffs alleged that INEC published Adebayo’s name as the party’s candidate instead of that of the winner of the primary election monitored by the commission.

They argued that INEC’s action was inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, and asked the court to intervene.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiffs are seeking an order directing INEC to stop recognising, accepting or publishing the name of any person other than their validly nominated candidate as the SDP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

They also want the court to set aside the purported publication of Adebayo’s name and restrain INEC from placing his name on the ballot as the party’s presidential candidate on the ground that, according to them, he was not properly nominated by the party.

The plaintiffs further urged the court to order the electoral body to recognise and publish the name of the candidate who emerged as winner of the presidential primary election it monitored.

Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment in the case after the parties adopted their final briefs of argument.

The court said the judgment date would be communicated to the parties.

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