The Federal High Court in Lagos has removed Ibrahim Lukman from the list of candidates for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 general election, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Olumuyiwa Owadara as the party’s rightful candidate.
The ruling concerns the Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency I seat in Lagos State and followed a legal challenge over the party’s primary election.
In a judgment delivered on October 20, 2026, Justice Akintayo Aluko nullified INEC’s earlier publication of Lukman as the NDC candidate, holding that he did not participate in the party’s primary election.
The court ordered INEC to publish Owadara’s name and particulars without delay. It also awarded ₦1 million in costs against the electoral commission and Lukman.
Court Faults INEC Over Candidate Listing
The judge held that evidence before the court showed that Owadara won the NDC primary conducted on May 29, 2026, which INEC officials monitored.
According to the court, the commission’s monitoring report confirmed that Owadara secured the highest number of lawful votes cast.
The NDC also maintained that it conducted only one primary election for the constituency and that Lukman did not participate in the exercise.
INEC, however, argued that it had merely published the names submitted by political parties through its portal.
Justice Aluko rejected the commission’s explanation, ruling that it lacked credible evidence to support its position. He further held that there was no lawful basis for listing Lukman as the party’s candidate.
The court also noted that no evidence was presented to establish that the NDC had followed the legal procedure for substituting a candidate or conducted another primary election.
₦1m Cost Awarded Against INEC, Lukman
In addition to ordering the recognition of Owadara, the court awarded ₦1 million in costs against INEC and Lukman.
Lukman had challenged the suit, arguing that he was in London at the time and had not been properly served with court documents. He also disputed ownership of the phone number and email address used for service.
However, the judge found evidence linking the WhatsApp number used to serve him to the contact details he submitted to INEC.
The ruling reinforces the legal requirement for political parties and electoral authorities to respect the outcome of valid party primaries when determining candidates for elections.
Following the judgment, lawyers representing Owadara wrote to the INEC chairman on October 23, forwarding a certified copy of the decision and requesting compliance with the court’s orders.
The development comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 general election, with disputes over candidate nominations continuing to feature in pre-election litigation.
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