A Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit challenging the publication of Adewole Adebayo as the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment after lawyers representing the parties presented their final arguments, saying the parties would be notified of the date and time for the ruling.
The plaintiffs, the SDP and its National Organising Secretary, Chukwuma Ogbonna, are asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish Abimbola Akeem Atanda as the party’s duly nominated presidential candidate.
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They contend that INEC published Adebayo’s name instead of Atanda’s, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
According to the plaintiffs, the party conducted its presidential primary and national convention on May 20, 2026, in Abuja, under the leadership of Shehu Gabam, who was then its national chairman.
They said INEC monitored the exercise and subsequently issued a certified true copy of its monitoring report.
The plaintiffs further maintained that they submitted Atanda’s name and personal particulars to the commission after the exercise but alleged that INEC failed to recognise the candidate they said emerged from the process.
They are also seeking an order restraining INEC from recognising, accepting or publishing the name of any person other than Atanda as the SDP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The court is expected to communicate the date for delivering its judgment to the parties.
