In compliance with a Federal High Court, Abuja, judgment, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will include the names of candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Saturday’s by-election.
The commission disclosed this in a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun on Friday in Abuja.
Olumekun said that the commission had been served with the judgement of the court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025 filed by the party challenging its omission in the by-election.
“In the judgement, the commission was ordered to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidates in the by-elections in 12 states of the federation.
“The party did not earlier submit a valid notice for the conduct of primaries for the by-elections. For this reason, they were not monitored by the commission.
“However, in compliance with the judgment, the names of the candidates submitted manually have been accepted and published on our website. The party will participate in the by-elections.
“The commission wishes to assure the public, especially voters in the 12 states, that the 11th-hour judgment will not affect the election which will proceed tomorrow, Saturday Aug. 16, as scheduled,” Olumekun said.
The INEC commissioner, however, said that the commission woul exercise its legitimate right of appeal under the law.
The by-elections will cover two senatorial districts in Anambra and Edo States, five federal constituencies in Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo States, as well as nine state constituencies in Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna (2), Kano, Kogi, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
Additionally, INEC confirmed that court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State will be conducted concurrently.