NDC Kano Candidates Urge INEC to Respect Court Judgments Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is facing an escalating dispute over its Kano State candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, as five aspirants have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect court judgments concerning their nominations.

The candidates, in a petition addressed to INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, called on the commission to resist political pressure and preserve records relating to the party’s disputed primary elections.

Their lawyer, Bola Aidi, said the Federal High Court in Kano delivered judgments on October 14 affirming the candidacy of two of the five candidates.

Aidi argued that the rulings should be respected unless they are overturned or suspended by a court with the appropriate jurisdiction.

The candidates are seeking to ensure that INEC relies on the relevant court decisions and official records when determining the party’s candidates for the 2027 elections.

However, the NDC’s Kano State chapter has separately questioned the reports on the monitoring of the party’s primaries and challenged the nominations.

The disagreement centres on competing claims regarding the conduct of the party’s nomination process and which records accurately reflect the candidates who emerged from the disputed primaries.

The dispute presents a challenge for the party as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The outcome will depend on the applicable court decisions, the relevant nomination records and the commission’s handling of the competing claims.