Breaking: INEC Takes Final Decision on Omitting or Including SDP Candidates in By-elections
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced a last minute inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the list of parties participating in Saturday’s bye elections in 12 states of the federation
- The development, according to the commission’s spokesperson, Sam Olumekun, followed a judgment of the federal high court ordering the commission to accept the list of candidates presented by the party
- INEC stated that it did not initially include the SDP because the party did not notify it of the conduct of party primaries and therefore did not monitor same as required by law
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday evening, August 15, said it has been served with the judgment of the federal high court, Abuja division, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025.
In a statement by Sam Olumekun, the national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, the commission said in the judgment, INEC was ordered to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidates in the bye-elections in 12 states.
Source: Twitter
By-elections: INEC accepts SDP
INEC said the SDP did not earlier submit a valid notice for the conduct of primaries for the bye-elections.
The statement by INEC obtained by Legit.ng read:
"For this reason, they were not monitored by the commission."
The electoral umpire, however, pointed out that in compliance with the judgment, the names of the candidates submitted manually have been accepted and published on INEC website.
INEC announced:
"The party will participate in the bye-elections."
Furthermore, INEC assured Nigerians, especially voters in the 12 states, that the 11th-hour judgment will not affect the election which will proceed tomorrow Saturday, August 16, as scheduled.
By-elections: IGP gives order
Meanwhile, ahead of the Saturday, August 16 by-election in several Nigerian states, Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, ordered watertight security across the states involved.
The IGP reiterated his earlier directives on the deployment of operational logistics to the states and local government areas where the elections would hold.
This, he said was to provide an enabling environment for a free and fair elections.
The states where by-elections will hold include Anambra, Kano, Oyo, Taraba, Adamawa, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Ogun, and Niger.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), said in order to ensure smooth elections, the IGP has directed the deployment of senior officers of the rank of assistant inspector-general of police and commissioners of police to assist state commissioners of police.
Adejobi said this is to ensure proper supervision over the electoral process for a smooth and hitch-free poll.
Bye-elections: Protesters storm INEC HQ
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that civil society organisations (CSOs) sympathetic to the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) stormed INEC's headquarters to demand the inclusion of the party’s candidates in the coming bye-elections.
Dozens of protesters carrying banners and placards gathered for the peaceful protest in Abuja.
Source: Legit.ng
