2027 Election: INEC, NDC Dragged to Court, Reason, Details Emerge
- Businessman Pratt Tunde filed a federal high court suit after allegedly discovering his NDC candidacy was secretly swapped on August 1, 2026
- Pratt won the NDC primary for Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency on May 29, 2026, with INEC monitoring the election
- The suit names INEC and the NDC as respondents and seeks urgent hearing to prevent ballot papers being printed with the wrong candidate's name
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Ikeja, Lagos state - Businessman and politician Pratt Tunde has taken legal action at the federal high court in Lagos, challenging what he described as the secret replacement of his name as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Lagos Mainland federal constituency ahead of the 2027 elections.
As reported by The Nation on Monday, August 24, Pratt claimed he won the NDC primary held on May 29, 2026, an exercise he said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored and certified. He alleged that the NDC leadership subsequently removed his name and replaced it with that of one Tunji Sanni, without his knowledge or consent.
Source: Facebook
He said he discovered the change on Saturday, August 1, 2026, and immediately set about challenging it within the constitutional deadline.
"I discovered the unlawful candidate substitution on Saturday, 1st of August, 2026. By virtue of Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution, I have an absolute maximum of 14 days to file this action, which means my right to sue expires on Saturday, 15th of August, 2026," he said in an affidavit filed alongside his application.
Pratt challenges NDC candidate substitution
In the affidavit, Pratt told the court that his inability to access INEC's nomination portal had already begun causing him concrete harm.
"Because of this unlawful candidate swap, I am locked out of the official INEC nomination portal. I am suffering permanent, unrecoverable political and financial damage as I cannot print posters, mobilise structure, or launch my campaigns for the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency," he said.
He also pointed to INEC's revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections as evidence that the court needed to act without delay, warning that ballot papers could be printed with the substituted candidate's name before any judgment was delivered.
"If this suit is not granted an expedited hearing immediately, the 3rd Respondent (INEC) will print final ballot papers using the name of the illegal candidate, which will render the final judgment of this Honourable Court completely useless," he said.
Pratt asked the court to declare the substitution illegal and void and to direct INEC to restore his name as the party's candidate. He also urged the court to hear the matter on a day-to-day basis to avoid what he called "a complete miscarriage of justice."
INEC, NDC face Pratt’s legal challenge
Pratt's legal team is led by Ajose Abejoye. One of the firm's lawyers, Kaosara Afariogun, stressed that the case was about more than one man's candidacy.
"Honourable Pratt played by the rules and won fair and square. To see his dedication and the mandate of everyday people allegedly stolen by a secret political plot is unacceptable," she said.
In a message to his supporters, Pratt said:
"My heart breaks not for myself, but for the beautiful, hardworking people of Lagos Mainland whose hopes were traded away in the dark."
The suit names INEC and the NDC as respondents.
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Dickson boasts of presidential credentials
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Seriake Dickson, the NDC national leader, asserted that nobody is doing the party a favour by handing the presidential ticket to Obi for the 2027 elections.
Dickson stated that he could have emerged as the party's presidential flagbearer for the 2027 polls, citing his track record.
He urged Obi's supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could undermine the party.
Source: Legit.ng
