After court order, INEC includes SDP as parties gear up for by-elections today
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday included the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidates to participate in today’s by-elections slated to hold across 16 constituencies in 12 states in the country, following a court order. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement said the commission had received […]
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday included the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidates to participate in today’s by-elections slated to hold across 16 constituencies in 12 states in the country, following a court order.
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement said the commission had received a judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025, directing it to include the party and its candidates in the elections taking place in 12 states.
“In compliance with the judgement, the names of the candidates submitted manually have been accepted and published on our website. The party will participate in the bye-elections,” the statement reads.
Olumekun explained that the SDP was initially excluded because it “did not submit a valid notice for the conduct of primaries for the by-elections” making it mandatory for INEC not to monitor the exercise.
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“The 11th-hour judgement will not affect the election which will proceed tomorrow (today) as scheduled,” he said, adding that the commission would also exercise its legitimate right of appeal under the law.
Weekend Trust reports that the electoral body has already distributed sensitive materials to the affected states for the conduct of the polls today.
The major parties in the race – All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) – had also concluded their campaigns in line with the provisions of the electoral act.
Security agencies have expressed their readiness to provide security to guarantee free, fair and credible process. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has also said it concluded preparations for the polls.
INEC in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the by-elections will cover two senatorial districts in Anambra and Edo States.
Olumekun disclosed that it would also be conducted in 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.
INEC also revealed that court- ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State would be conducted concurrently.
El-Rufai, Gov Sani push for ADC, APC candidates in Kaduna
In Kaduna State, political parties concluded their campaigns amidst accusations, counter-accusations and heightened security measures for today’s by-elections.
A former governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, is pushing for the election of the ADC candidate for Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency seat. On Thursday, he was in Zaria to also back the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate.
Governor Uba Sani, on the other hand, was in Chikun Local Government on Thursday, a day after El-Rufai’s visit where he commissioned a road project and urged voters to support candidate of his party, the APC.
The ADC/SDP coalition, led by ADC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, has however, accused the Uba Sani administration of plotting to rig the elections in Chikun/Kajuru, Zaria, and Sabon-Gari Constituencies.
He alleged mass recruitment of thugs, bribery of electoral officials, inducement of senior INEC officials and vote-buying through a “disgraced former senator” allegedly linked to electoral violence, and called on INEC to replace its alleged compromised officials.
But reacting, Kaduna State Commissioner for Information-designate Ahmed Maiyaki, alongside Commissioner for Local Government, Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, dismissed the claims as baseless and laughable, describing the coalition as a group of “political leftovers.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has announced restriction of movement in four local government areas – Sabon Gari, Zaria, Chikun, and Kajuru – till the conclusion of the polls.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the restriction aims to ensure public safety, prevent any breach of peace, and facilitate an orderly electoral process. “Only those on essential duties or with valid election assignments will be exempted,” he said.
Police warn personnel against bias in Kano
In Kano, supplementary election will be held in Ghari State Constituency and by-elections in Tsanyawa and Bagwai/Shanono State Constituencies.
One of our correspondents reports that NEC, political parties, and security agencies have assured of peaceful exercise.
Political parties, including the APC, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), had intensified campaigns for their candidates, while stakeholders signed a peace accord facilitated by the Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, before the close of campaigns.
Bakori, who warned against acts of lawlessness, urged political actors to conduct their activities within the law, promising adequate security deployment to ensure voters safety.
“Any breach of peace will be met with swift action,” he said.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Zango Abdu, said INEC was fully prepared for the polls, with both sensitive and non-sensitive materials already dispatched to the local government areas.
On Friday, CP Bakori addressed police personnel deployed for election duty, charging them to remain professional, neutral, and disciplined.
Sensitive materials distributed in Kogi, Taraba
In Kogi State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oliver Agundu, confirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed sensitive materials to the four wards of Okura State Constituency in Dekina Local Government Area of the state for today’s poll.
Agundu told newsmen in Lokoja on Friday that the by-election will be held in 138 registration areas across the four wards in the constituency, adding that all logistics arrangements had been put in place to ensure a hitch- free exercise.
Meanwhile, the state police command has warned hoodlums not to go close to the polling booths and collation centres, warning that violating the order would be faced with legal consequences.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Williams Aya, in a statement said, “Whoever is caught breaching the law regulating the conduct of the by-election will be dealt with decisively.”
Similarly, INEC in Taraba State has distributed both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials in readiness for the conduct of today’s by-election in Karim 1.
The electoral materials were inspected by representatives of the major political parties in the election in Jalingo, the state capital, yesterday.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Umar Muktar Gajiram, said the early distribution of materials was to ensure timely deployment and proper coordination with a view to facilitating a smooth and credible electoral process.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Commissioner of Police, CP Betty Enekpen Isokpan, also assured the people of Karim I, that adequate security personnel would be deployed to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
Parties bicker over ‘planned disruption’ of polls in Edo
In Edo State, INEC has distributed sensitive materials to local government areas ahead of today’s polls. The commission is conducting by-elections to fill Edo Central senatorial slot and Ovia Federal Constituency slot at the National Assembly.
Weekend Trust reports that representatives of political parties and members of civil society organisations were on hand at the Benin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to witness the distribution.
Addressing newsmen, Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Prof Anugbum Onuoha, said, “The exercise so far has been seamless, and we are fully prepared. The sensitive materials will be dispatched from here to the seven local government areas where the elections will take place.”
Meanwhile, the two major political parties in the state have engaged in blame game over alleged planned disruption of the senatorial election in the state.
The state acting APC chairman, Jarret Tenebe had accused a chieftain of the PDP in the district, Chief Francis Inegbineke, of planning to import thugs from neighbouring states to disrupt the election.
But reacting, Inegbineke, in turn accused Teneble of orchestrating lies with a view to collecting money from the governor, stressing that the PDP has no reason to disrupt the election.
Meanwhile, the Edo state police command has deployed 7,825 personnel for the polls in the state. A statement in Benin on Friday signed by its spokesman, CSP Moses Iyamu, also ordered a restriction of movement from 12:00 midnight on Friday to 6:00PM on Saturday, in all areas where elections would be held.
Obi criticised for campaigning for ADC in Anambra
Also, political gladiators have engaged in accusations and counter-accusations over alleged plots to engage thugs to disrupt the elections in Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 State Constituency.
But lawmakers under the aegis of the Anambra State Labour Party Caucus in the National Assembly, in a statement signed by all of them tasked security chiefs to provide security to guarantee free, fair and credible polls.
They expressed fears that the state governor, Charles Soludo, might influence the outcome of the elections.
Meanwhile, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has also come under criticism for campaigning for candidates of the ADC.
Obi was sighted putting on ADC branded cap and campaigning for Mrs Justina Azuka, the ADC candidate for Anambra South and candidate for the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency, instead of the LP’s candidates.
Azuka, widow of the late LP’s lawmaker for Onitsha North, is in the race on the ADC platform following her husband’s murder last December.
Police assures of peaceful poll in Zamfara, Niger
Also, the Police in Zamfara State have assured residents of a peaceful poll. The State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Maikaba in a telephone interview, confirmed massive deployment of security personnel to areas where the elections are taking place.
CP Maikaba said a combined team of the Police, Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) have been stationed at strategic locations to prevent breakdown of law and order.
Reacting to the security concern raised by the APC in the state, Maikaba said the issue has been resolved.
“The police had resolved this issue with the authority concerned. The operatives of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG) and their counterparts of Joint Task Force otherwise known as Civilian-JTF will not partake in the polls,” he said.
Also the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has confirmed deployment of personnel to provide security during the State House of Assembly (Munya Constituency) by-election.
While inspecting the sensitive materials for the election at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Minna along with the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, IPAC and other security agencies, the CP assured of adequate security throughout the election period.
Also, political parties have rounded off campaigns with the ADC insisting on victory. The by-election in Munya LGA of Niger State, is being contested by Sabo Sunday Adabyinlo of the PDP, Mathew Dogara Daje (APC) and Joshua Bawa (ADC).
Acting chairman of the ADC, in the LGA, Anthony Francis, however, said the party will win the poll going by the level of its acceptance and defection of members of the APC and the PDP to its fold.