By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it has received and complied with the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025, which ordered the electoral body to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidates in the forthcoming bye-elections holding across 12 States of the Federation.
INEC explained that the SDP was initially excluded from the bye-elections because the party did not submit a valid notice for the conduct of primaries as required by law. Consequently, the primaries were not monitored by the Commission and the candidates were not originally recognised for participation in the elections.
However, Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in an official signed statement, announced that the Commission has fully complied with the judgement of the Federal High Court. He disclosed that the names of the party’s candidates, which were submitted manually to the Commission, have now been accepted and duly published on its official website.
“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission has complied with the judgement and has included the Social Democratic Party and its duly submitted candidates in the bye-elections. The names of the candidates submitted manually have been accepted and published on our website. The party will participate in the bye-elections,” Olumekun stated.
He further assured the public, particularly voters in the affected 12 States, that the late judicial intervention would not in any way affect the conduct of the elections. “The 11th-hour judgement will not affect the election which will proceed tomorrow, Saturday 16th August 2025, as scheduled,” he said.
INEC also emphasized that while it has complied with the court order, it will nonetheless explore all legitimate options available to it under the law. “Meanwhile, the Commission will exercise its legitimate right of appeal under the law,” Olumekun added.
