2027: Court will rule on SDP’s lawsuit seeking to change Adebayo as presidential candidate

The Federal High Court in Abuja has overturned a decision in a lawsuit filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its National Organizing Secretary, Dr Chukwuma Ogbonna, seeking to force INEC to change the name of its presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.

The party has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court over the revelation of Adewole Adebayo as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

Judge Salim Ibrahim, who made the announcement after receiving final arguments from lawyers representing the parties, said the date and time would be communicated to the parties.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order compelling INEC to recognize and publish the name of Abimbola Atanda, the candidate they claim was validly nominated by the party and submitted to the electoral commission.

According to the plaintiff, the SDP is holding presidential primaries and national convention on May 20, 2026 in Abuja, under the leadership of Alhaji Shehu Gabam, the party’s national chairman.

They stated that INEC monitored the exercise and later published the Original Copy of its monitoring Report.

The plaintiffs further claimed that the party had submitted the names and personal data of the winning candidates in the presidential primaries to the electoral body.

However, the plaintiffs accused INEC of publishing Adebayo’s name as the party’s presidential candidate, instead of the name of the winner of the primary elections monitored by the commission.

They argued that the publication was not in accordance with the 2026 Election Law and asked the court to intervene.

Among other relief, the plaintiffs are seeking an order directing INEC to cease admitting, accepting or publishing the names of anyone other than the candidate duly nominated as the SDP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

They also want the court to set aside the publication of Adebayo’s name and prevent INEC from listing his name on the ballot as the party’s presidential candidate on the grounds that, in their opinion, he was not properly nominated by the party.

The plaintiff further urged the court to order the Election Commission to recognize and publish the names of the candidates who emerged as winners of the presidential primaries monitored by INEC.