SDP drags INEC to court over rejected candidates, party crisis deepens

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court over the disqualification of its candidates from the upcoming by-elections in twelve states across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, accused INEC of overstepping its constitutional boundaries by refusing to recognise candidates who emerged from what the party described as “duly conducted primaries.”

The SDP said the decision by INEC was politically motivated and based on the excuse of internal crises within the party an excuse the SDP insists holds no legal weight.

“INEC has no constitutional authority to interfere in how parties select their flagbearers. This is a direct attack on democratic freedoms,” Aiyenigba said.

The party said it had approached the court to compel INEC to accept the candidates it submitted, arguing that the nominations complied with the Electoral Act, INEC’s guidelines, and the SDP’s own constitution. It also pointed fingers at the electoral body for similarly rejecting Labour Party candidates, warning that the move could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The party has also been thrown into chaos in recent months following a lingering leadership crisis, which took another turn on July 25, when 23 state chairmen, including the FCT chairman, reportedly held an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja and named Adamu Modibo as Acting National Chairman.

Modibo, in his first address to the media, admitted the party was going through “serious turbulence” and promised to lead reconciliation efforts. He also announced the formation of a new disciplinary and reconciliation committee to address party misconduct and unify warring factions.

The faction loyal to Dr. Sadiq Abubakar has dismissed the NEC meeting as a charade, calling it unconstitutional and illegitimate. Dr. Olu Agunloye, who serves as National Secretary under the Abubakar camp, said many of the so-called attendees never consented to the meeting and have submitted sworn affidavits to INEC disowning the process.

He also alleged that some members forged signatures to pass off the meeting as valid.