Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has advised some candidates excluded from the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) final list not to waste their resources challenging the decision in court. INEC released the list after receiving complaints from political parties and aggrieved aspirants regarding the implications of a Supreme Court judgment on eligibility. The judgment, delivered on September 24, 2026, affirmed the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6), and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC's Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, had stated that the commission received the certified true copy of the judgment and was reviewing it to guide its decision on the next line of action. Following the judgment, INEC announced that political parties would not be allowed to participate in the 2027 elections if they fielded candidates whose names were not on the registers submitted to the commission within the stipulated period. Affected parties would also not be allowed to substitute such candidates.
Some prominent candidates, including former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami, were excluded from the list. Pantami, who vied for the governorship seat in Gombe State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the ruling party settled for Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as its consensus candidate. Others excluded include the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) guber candidate in Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
Reacting to the development, Shehu Sani advised the affected candidates not to waste their resources fighting what he described as a lost battle. He cited the Supreme Court judgment that empowered INEC to remove some candidates as clear. Sani, who is the APC candidate for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, urged the candidates to strategize for the future instead.
Shehu Sani appealed to legal practitioners to counsel the politicians against spending their money filing fresh suits. He requested that they allow the affected candidates to rest and not mislead them into incurring further expenses. Sani emphasized that four years would pass quickly, and it would be better for the candidates to focus on future opportunities.
INEC's National Commissioner in charge of information and voter education, Malam Mohammed Haruna, had stated that affected parties would not be allowed to substitute candidates who violated the rules. He added that those who broke the rules would not benefit from their offense. The development has generated mixed reactions among politicians and stakeholders.
The Supreme Court judgment has significant implications for the 2027 elections, with INEC enforcing strict adherence to the Electoral Act. As the electoral body prepares for the polls, candidates and parties are expected to comply with the regulations to avoid disqualification. Key points to note include:
Key points
- Shehu Sani advises affected candidates not to challenge INEC's list in court.
- The Supreme Court judgment empowers INEC to remove candidates who do not meet eligibility criteria.
- INEC will enforce strict adherence to the Electoral Act in the 2027 elections.
