The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that candidates from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will participate in the by-elections taking place in 12 states on August 16, 2025. This decision follows a Federal High Court ruling that ordered INEC to include the SDP and its candidates in the electoral process.
Previously, INEC had rejected the SDP candidates, citing the party’s failure to submit a valid notice for conducting primaries, which prevented the Commission from overseeing the process. However, the court’s judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025 mandated INEC to comply with the ruling.
Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, confirmed that the judgment would not delay the elections, which are set to proceed as scheduled. He stated that while the Commission will comply with the court order, it reserves the right to appeal.
Olumekun emphasized that the names of the candidates submitted manually by the SDP have been accepted and published on INEC’s website, allowing the party to participate in the elections.
The Commission reassured voters in the affected states that the electoral process would continue as planned, despite the last-minute inclusion of the SDP.
