Kano NDC candidates urge INEC to respect court judgments

Five candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Kano State have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to respect subsisting court judgments affirming the candidature of two of them ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The candidates also called on the commission to protect its officials from political pressure and ensure that disputes over the party’s primaries are handled in line with the law.

The candidates made the demands in a petition addressed to the INEC chairman through the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano State.

They accused some officials of the Kano chapter of the party of using protests, petitions and media campaigns to undermine their candidature after losing out in the party’s nomination process.

The petition, signed by their counsel, Bola Aidi, SAN, was written in response to an earlier petition dated October 16, 2026, reportedly submitted by Tahir Chambers on behalf of the Kano NDC chapter against an INEC official, Mrs Hauwa Buhari.

The five candidates are Abdulmajid Isah Umar, representing Gwale; Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada, Kano Municipal; Barr. Ismaeel Idris Sani, Kumbotso; Hon. Ibrahim Bashiru Bango, Sumaila/Takai; and Hon. Nasir Alli Ahmed, Nasarawa.

According to the petition, the candidates obtained nomination forms, underwent screening and clearance, and participated in the party’s prescribed primary election processes.

Their lawyer said the party’s national leadership had earlier approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel INEC to recognise and upload the names of its nominated candidates.

He cited Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1628/2026, which he said was instituted by the NDC, adding that the court granted an interim order directing INEC to upload the names of the affected candidates, among others.

Aidi further disclosed that the Federal High Court sitting in Kano delivered judgments on October 14, 2026, affirming the candidature of two of the five candidates.

He urged INEC to give effect to the judgments unless they were stayed, varied or set aside by a competent court.

The senior advocate expressed concern that some individuals claiming to represent the party’s Kano chapter were challenging candidates whose recognition the party’s national leadership had previously sought through court proceedings.

“It is therefore remarkable that persons purporting to act for the Kano State Chapter of the same political party now seek to discredit the candidature of persons whose recognition and uploading the party itself had previously sought through judicial proceedings,” he said.

The counsel also alleged that protests held in Kano and Abuja followed the court decisions and could put pressure on judicial officers handling the remaining cases.

He said the candidates were not opposed to legitimate protests or petitions but warned against intimidation or other unlawful conduct.

“Our clients do not seek to prevent any person from exercising the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, lawful protest or petition. Their concern is directed strictly at any unlawful conduct or intimidation that may accompany or underlie such activities,” the petition stated.

On the allegations against Mrs Buhari, who was accused of issuing multiple inconsistent and undated monitoring reports on the party’s primaries, Aidi said INEC should investigate the matter fairly and rely on credible evidence.

He maintained that differences in official documents did not, on their own, prove that reports supporting his clients’ candidature were fraudulent.

“While no official of INEC is above legitimate scrutiny or investigation, the Commission must be careful not to permit its disciplinary and administrative mechanisms to become instruments of political persecution,” he stated.

Aidi cited Sections 158(1) and 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, in arguing for INEC’s independence in personnel matters and compliance with decisions of the Federal High Court.

He also said his clients had taken steps to involve the Nigeria Police Force in investigating alleged threats, intimidation and possible unlawful interference with judicial proceedings.

The candidates asked INEC to preserve all original monitoring reports, official correspondence, electronic records and other documents relating to the disputed primaries.

They further urged the commission to remain neutral, protect electoral officials from improper pressure and avoid administrative decisions that could affect the pending court cases.

Aidi warned that allowing protests and petitions to overturn nomination processes or court decisions could undermine confidence in the electoral system.

“It would constitute a dangerous precedent if persons dissatisfied with the outcome of party primaries or judicial proceedings could, through orchestrated protests, social media campaigns and petitions against electoral officials, secure administrative outcomes contrary to the documented nomination processes or subsisting judicial decisions,” he said.

He urged INEC to uphold the rule of law and ensure that the candidates’ electoral rights were not set aside to satisfy the interests of any individual or faction.