The Supreme Court's recent verdict has restored the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on party membership registers and nomination. This move has raised concerns about the eligibility of several candidates, including Peter Obi, Saliu Mustapha, and Ovie Omo-Agege, who may face disqualification due to their party affiliations and nomination processes. The judgment has sent shockwaves across the country's political landscape.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), is among those whose nomination is under scrutiny. Obi joined the NDC on May 3, 2026, and picked the party's presidential nomination and expression-of-interest forms on May 17. He was screened by the party's leadership two days later and adopted as the party's presidential candidate on May 29. An NDC source confirmed that Obi had received an NDC membership card 26 days before May 29, potentially saving his nomination from being invalidated.
Other candidates, including Saliu Mustapha and Kolo Jiya, sponsored by the Bukola Saraki G15 alliance in Kwara State, are also facing uncertainty. Mustapha, who lost out in the APC governorship race, defected to the PDP and secured the party's senatorial ticket. However, his eligibility is now being questioned due to the Supreme Court's judgment. Similarly, Ovie Omo-Agege, who recently defected from the APC to the NDC, is also facing scrutiny over his nomination for the Delta Central senatorial seat.
The judgment has also raised concerns about the nomination of Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State Governor, who declared his presidential ambition on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). PDP chieftains have questioned Makinde's eligibility, citing that there is no record of his resignation from the PDP. Makinde had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with his faction of the PDP, but the party's leadership has expressed doubts about his ability to contest on the APM platform.
Former Police Inspector General, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, who recently defected from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is also facing uncertainty over his nomination. Adamu had lost the APC governorship primary in Nasarawa State and subsequently resigned from the party. He was named the SDP's governorship candidate following a substitution primary, but his eligibility is now being questioned due to the Supreme Court's judgment.
The Supreme Court's judgment has also affected the nomination of Isa Ali Pantami, the former Communication Minister, who defected from the APC to the PDP. Pantami's nomination as the PDP's governorship candidate in Gombe State was annulled by a court, and a fresh primary has been scheduled for September 29. Iyabo Obasanjo, the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who lost out in the APC governorship ticket in Ogun State, is also facing uncertainty over her nomination as the PDP's candidate for Ogun Central.
The implications of the Supreme Court's judgment are far-reaching, and many candidates are now facing uncertainty over their nominations. The judgment has highlighted the need for candidates to ensure that their party affiliations and nomination processes are in line with the Electoral Act 2026. As the electoral commission and political parties study the judgment, many are waiting with bated breath to see how the situation unfolds.
Key points
- The Supreme Court's judgment has restored INEC's powers on party membership registers and nomination.
- Several candidates, including Peter Obi and Saliu Mustapha, are facing uncertainty over their nominations.
- The judgment has highlighted the need for candidates to ensure that their party affiliations and nomination processes are in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
