Court Orders INEC to Replace NDC Candidate With Winner of Party Primary
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered INEC to replace Ibrahim Lukman with Olumuyiwa Owadara as the NDC candidate for Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency I in the 2027 elections, ruling that Lukman did not participate in the party primary and that the commission’s publication breached the Electoral Act 2026.
Court Sets Aside INEC’s Candidate Publication
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Ibrahim Lukman with Olumuyiwa Owadara as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency I ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a judgment delivered on October 20, 2026, Justice Akintayo Aluko nullified INEC’s publication of Lukman as the party’s candidate and directed the commission to publish Owadara’s name and particulars instead. The court also awarded ₦1 million in costs against INEC and Lukman.
INEC’s Own Report Supported the Primary Winner
The dispute arose from the NDC primary conducted on May 29, 2026. Owadara maintained that he won the exercise, completed the required nomination forms and was entitled to be listed as the party’s candidate.
According to The PUNCH, the court relied on INEC’s own monitoring report, which indicated that Owadara scored the highest number of lawful votes cast. The NDC also told the court that it conducted no other primary for the constituency and that Lukman did not participate in the exercise.
INEC argued that it published the names uploaded to its candidate nomination platform by political parties. However, Justice Aluko rejected that explanation, finding that it was not supported by credible evidence. The court held that INEC had no lawful basis to publish Lukman’s name and found the action inconsistent with Sections 29(1), 32(1) and 84(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The judge also found no credible evidence that the party had followed the statutory procedure for changing its candidate or conducted another primary.
Implications for Party Primaries and INEC
The judgment reinforces the importance of valid party primaries in determining who may represent a political party in an election. It also highlights the legal consequences that can follow when the candidate published by INEC differs from the outcome supported by the commission’s own monitoring records.
For political parties and electoral officials, the case underscores the need for accurate nomination records and compliance with statutory procedures. The court’s order requires INEC to reflect Owadara’s victory in its candidate publication.
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