Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has advised political candidates whose names were omitted from the final lists published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconsider further legal action, arguing that the Supreme Court’s ruling on political party membership requirements has provided clear direction on the matter.
Sani urged the affected aspirants to stop spending money, time and energy pursuing lawsuits that, in his view, are unlikely to produce the desired outcome. He advised them to accept the situation, assess their political options and begin preparations for future elections.
The former lawmaker’s comments come amid controversy surrounding the omission of some prominent politicians from INEC’s final lists of governorship candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In September, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court upheld an appeal filed by INEC, restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act. The provisions address political party membership registers and participation in party activities, including requirements governing primaries, congresses and conventions.
Specifically, Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names are contained in a political party’s membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention are eligible to participate in the relevant exercise.
The ruling has brought renewed attention to compliance with statutory requirements for political party membership and candidate selection, particularly as political parties prepare for the next electoral cycle.
Reacting to the development in a post on X, Sani described the Supreme Court’s decision as sufficiently clear to guide the commission’s actions in excluding certain names from its published candidate lists.
“The Supreme Court ruling that enabled INEC to exclude some names of candidates is very clear,” he wrote.
He warned the affected politicians against committing additional resources to prolonged legal disputes, insisting that their time and money would be better invested in planning for subsequent elections.
“Affected candidates should not waste their money, time and energy fighting a lost battle,” Sani added.
The former senator also appealed to lawyers representing the affected candidates, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), to exercise caution before encouraging their clients to institute fresh legal proceedings.
According to him, legal practitioners should consider the financial and political implications of continued litigation and avoid raising expectations that may ultimately leave their clients with further expenses and disappointment.
“I also wish to appeal to those Barristers and SANs to ‘pity’ those candidates and allow them to rest, and not mislead them into spending more money ‘filing fresh suits’. Four years will come and go; let them strategise for the future,” he said.
ADEBUTU, PANTAMI ABSENT FROM INEC LISTS
Sani’s intervention comes against the backdrop of the omission of some high-profile politicians from INEC’s final lists of governorship candidates for the 2027 elections.
Among those affected is Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, whose name, alongside that of his running mate, is missing from the commission’s published list for the state.
Adebutu’s omission is significant given his position within the PDP’s political structure in Ogun State and the implications the development could have for the party’s preparations for the governorship contest.
A similar situation has emerged in Gombe State, where Isa Pantami, who recently won a fresh PDP governorship primary, is also absent from INEC’s final list. His running mate is equally missing from the published document.
The developments have raised questions about the status of the affected candidates and the circumstances surrounding their exclusion from the commission’s records.
However, INEC’s published documents do not provide explanations for the omission of Adebutu, Pantami and their respective running mates. Consequently, the specific reasons for their absence from the lists remain unclear based on the documents referenced.
The omissions could have significant implications for the affected politicians and their parties as they seek to finalise their preparations for the 2027 elections.
For the PDP, the situation presents an additional challenge in states where the party is positioning itself to contest governorship elections against the ruling party and other political contenders.
Sani’s remarks therefore underscore the growing importance of strict compliance with electoral laws and party procedures, particularly the statutory requirements governing membership registers and participation in party primaries.
His advice also highlights the financial and strategic costs of prolonged electoral litigation, especially for politicians whose eligibility or nomination is being contested.
Nevertheless, whether the affected candidates will accept the situation or pursue further legal remedies remains to be seen. Their next steps could shape their political prospects and influence their parties’ preparations for the 2027 electoral contests.
