The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved its ruling on a legal battle between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over who should represent the party in the 2027 presidential election.
The dispute centres on INEC’s publication of Adewole Adebayo as the SDP’s presidential candidate, which the party is challenging in court.
The SDP and its National Organising Secretary, Dr Chukwuma Ogbonna, filed the suit, arguing that the commission failed to recognise the candidate who won the party’s presidential primary.
In their court filing, the plaintiffs maintained that Hon. Abimbola Akeem Atanda emerged as the party’s flagbearer during its primary and national convention held in Abuja on May 20, 2026.
They said the exercise was conducted under the leadership of the party’s national chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, and monitored by INEC, which later issued a certified copy of its report.
The plaintiffs claimed that after the exercise, the party formally submitted Atanda’s details to INEC but was surprised when the commission published Adebayo’s name instead.
They argued that the decision breached the Electoral Act, 2026, and called on the court to overturn it.
The party is asking the court to stop INEC from recognising anyone other than its preferred candidate as its presidential flagbearer for the 2027 election.
It also wants the publication of Adebayo’s name cancelled and an order preventing the commission from including him on the ballot as the SDP candidate, insisting that he was not validly nominated by the party.
The plaintiffs further want INEC compelled to publish the name of Atanda, whom they maintain won the primary monitored by the electoral body.
Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment after both sides presented their final arguments.
The court said the parties would be notified when the judgment would be delivered.