According to a report by The Sun, on Wednesday September 23, 2026, a Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to accept any candidate submitted by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Imo East Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 National Assembly election.

The judgment was delivered by Justice I. N. Oweibo following a legal challenge filed by five aspirants who contested the party’s candidate selection process for the senatorial seat.

The plaintiffs argued that they took part in the party’s preliminary activities after purchasing expression of interest forms and undergoing screening, they also claimed to have paid development fees required by the party, however, they maintained that no valid primary election was conducted to choose a candidate for the district.

According to the suit, the aspirants believed the process that produced the party’s candidate did not comply with the requirements expected for a primary election.

Before the court ruling, the NDC had forwarded the name of former Imo State Secretary to the State Government, Uche Onyeaguocha, to INEC as its candidate for Imo East, the electoral commission had already published his name among candidates expected to participate in the January 16, 2027 National Assembly election.

After reviewing the case, Justice Oweibo held that the party failed to conduct a valid primary election for the senatorial district, the court therefore directed INEC not to accept any candidate presented by the NDC based on the disputed process.

The decision has created a fresh challenge for the opposition party as preparations continue for the 2027 elections, unless the ruling is overturned or other legal steps are taken, the party may face difficulties fielding a candidate for the Imo East Senate seat.

From Opera News

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Abubakar Babazango as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa State.

Daily Voice reports that the court also recognized Abubakar Bashir as the winner of the ADC primary election conducted for the constituency on May 21, 2026.

Justice Chigozie S. Onah delivered the judgment on September 17, 2026, in a suit filed by Bashir against the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Babazango.

The case followed a dispute over the outcome of the party’s primary after Bashir emerged as the winner, but Babazango was later submitted as the ADC candidate for the 2027 election.

Bashir won the primary with 33,931 votes, defeating six other aspirants. Zayyad Tumba came second with 16,266 votes, while Yusuf Garba polled 14,611 votes.

Abubakar Mohammed received 10,035 votes, Abubakar Gabdo scored 8,022, and Abdulaziz Abubakar got 4,501 votes. Babazango finished last with 4,359 votes.

Babazango had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ADC and was seeking to retain his seat in the House of Representatives.

After the primary, Bashir challenged the decision to submit Babazango’s name, alleging that his victory had been overturned despite him securing the highest number of votes.
The ADC denied any wrongdoing and maintained that there was no attempt to manipulate the primary result.

Bashir later took the matter to court, asking the judge to determine whether the nomination process complied with the Electoral Act, the ADC Constitution and the party’s guidelines.

He also argued that the party had no legal basis to replace him with an aspirant who did not win the primary.
In the judgment, Justice Onah ruled that the process through which Babazango was accepted and presented as the winner did not comply with the ADC Constitution and its guidelines.

The judge relied on Section 12 of the ADC Guidelines for the Conduct of Primary Elections, which provides for the circumstances under which a declared winner may be replaced.

The court found that a winner could only be replaced if the person died or withdrew from the contest. It further found that neither condition applied to Bashir.

The court consequently nullified Babazango’s nomination and ordered INEC not to recognise him as the ADC candidate for the constituency in the 2027 election.
The court also barred Babazango from presenting himself as the ADC candidate for the seat.
INEC was directed to recognize Bashir as the winner of the May 21 primary and as the ADC candidate for the House of Representatives constituency.

The ADC was similarly ordered to recognize Bashir as its duly elected candidate.
Justice Onah further ruled that the party must follow the Electoral Act 2026 and its own guidelines when conducting its nomination process.

Bashir had requested ₦25 million in litigation costs, but the court declined the request.
The judge instead awarded ₦1 million in costs against the ADC and another ₦1 million against Babazango.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said opposition to his proposed Rainbow Coalition by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is not primarily about concerns that the group could weaken the All Progressives Congress (APC).Nigeria Market Research

Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the statement on Monday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects in the Federal Capital Territory.

The minister said he would provide further details about the disagreements during a television appearance later in the day.

Responding to suggestions that the coalition was being used to position him for the 2031 presidential election, Wike said it was too early to speculate about future political contests.

He also suggested that the question of who would succeed President Bola Tinubu could be contributing to the current political tension.

Wike said, “People take the position of God. First of all, you have to pray that you are alive. You must ask God, ‘Keep me alive till tomorrow. God, keep me alive till the next day.’ When God keeps you alive, then you now know what to do. How can you sit now and start planning for 2030, 31?.

“So, God is the one who says what will be. If one is alive, then you begin to see what we will do. In any case, what is wrong with assuming that I am positioning myself? But that is not correct. But you will hear the full details today about all these cries about the Rainbow Coalition.”

He said Tinubu, as a sitting President who would not be eligible to seek another term in 2031, would naturally have an interest in succession.

“I have always said, mind you, too, that by 2031, as a sitting president, he will not be running. So, the president must also have interest on who will succeed him. And will I be at loggerheads with what the president is talking about? But people don’t understand. They are just afraid of their shadows, not me,” Wike said.

Wike also referred to his participation in the 2022 PDP presidential primary, where he finished second behind former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

“First of all, you should know that I ran in the presidential primary in 2022, and I came second. If not for what happened, I would have emerged. So, I know this country very well. I am a politician of this country. I know the conspiracy of people, you know. So, am I positioning myself? In which of the parties am I positioning myself?” he asked.

The FCT minister said his immediate political objective was to support Tinubu’s bid for a second term and rejected allegations that the Rainbow Coalition was designed to destabilise the APC.

He further stated, “Today I will be on TVC by 5 pm to 7 pm. Probably Nigerians will hear me very well when I answer it. Just what I want to let you know: my concern is how the President will be re-elected for a second term. That is my concern.Nigeria Market Research

“I am not bothered about accusations, but you see, it is very disappointing to hear some people say the Rainbow Coalition will destabilise their party. I don’t understand from which angle that will be.”

Wike said he would explain what he described as the underlying issues behind the disagreement during the television appearance.

“You will hear the full details today of why all this cry about Rainbow Coalition. I will tell you, and Nigerians will be shocked when they hear the full details about the so-called Rainbow Coalition. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag now, so just hold your breath,” he said.

Wike also rejected claims that the coalition had directed politicians to withdraw support from APC candidates.

“It is not correct. I mean, we have not gone to anybody to say, ‘Don’t support anybody.’ We said to all our party members, all those like-minds who are not APC members, to please ensure that they support Mr President,” he said.

He compared the arrangement with the G5 governors’ position during the 2023 presidential election, arguing that similar political cooperation had existed previously.

“This is not the first time, first of all, in 2023 when it was G5, right? Why is it that nobody complained that it would destabilise the party?” Wike asked.

He added that the 2023 experience did not prevent Tinubu from winning the presidential election or the APC from controlling the National Assembly.

“It is something that will even give him an advantage. But that is not the real cause of this cry you hear today. What is the real cry about the Rainbow Coalition? The undertones,” Wike said.