Ex-IGP Adamu: Nasarawa SDP Candidacy Unaffected by Supreme Court Ruling

• Former IGP Mohammed Adamu insists he remains the SDP governorship candidate for Nasarawa State despite a recent Supreme Court judgment.
• His campaign asserts the Supreme Court's ruling did not disqualify him, invalidate the SDP's membership register, or nullify his direct primary nomination.
• The Supreme Court upheld Sections 77 and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, affirming INEC's regulatory powers over party registers and candidate nominations.
• INEC is reviewing the Certified True Copy of the judgment to determine its next steps regarding candidate nominations.
• The Supreme Court's decision did not specifically name Mr. Adamu or issue an order for his disqualification, leading to ongoing debate over its practical implications for individual candidacies.

The Supreme Court's decision, handed down on September 24, did not, however, specifically name Mr. Adamu or any other individual candidate, nor did it issue an order for his disqualification from the Nasarawa governorship election.

Former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has firmly stated his intention to remain the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate for Nasarawa State. This assertion comes amidst a broader discussion surrounding the implications of a recent Supreme Court judgment on the Electoral Act 2026, which has raised questions about various 2027 nominations.

Mr. Adamu's campaign maintains that the Supreme Court's ruling, delivered on September 24, does not affect his eligibility. According to his representatives, the judgment neither disqualifies him nor nullifies the SDP's membership register. Furthermore, they contend that the direct primary process through which he secured the party's nomination remains valid. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the Supreme Court's decision to understand its full impact on political party membership registers and the procedures for candidate nomination.

The Supreme Court's pivotal decision on September 24 saw the apex court uphold an appeal filed by INEC. This ruling effectively overturned a July 16 judgment by the Court of Appeal, which had previously invalidated certain provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 pertaining to political party membership registers and candidate nomination. A seven-member panel, presided over by Justice Adamu Jauro, reinstated an earlier Federal High Court decision that had dismissed a challenge to these provisions.

Specifically, the Supreme Court affirmed the legality of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. Section 77 outlines requirements for political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC before conducting primaries, congresses, and conventions. Section 84(2) governs the nomination of candidates, allowing for selection through direct primaries or consensus. The legal challenge that led to this Supreme Court intervention originated from the Zenith Labour Party. Crucially, the Supreme Court's judgment did not explicitly name Mr. Adamu or any other specific candidate, nor did it issue any order for his disqualification from the Nasarawa governorship election.

Otaru Douglas, the director of digital media and strategic communications for Mr. Adamu's campaign, clarified that the Supreme Court's judgment serves as a general affirmation of INEC's regulatory authority over party membership registers. He emphasized that the ruling was not directed against the Social Democratic Party or against the retired Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, personally. Mr. Douglas asserted that no court has invalidated the SDP's membership register, canceled the direct primary that produced Mr. Adamu as candidate, or instructed INEC to remove his name from the ballot.

According to Mr. Douglas, the SDP had compiled and duly submitted its membership register to INEC in compliance with legal requirements. He further stated that the nomination process for Mr. Adamu adhered to Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act through a direct primary that was monitored by INEC. The SDP itself has corroborated this, confirming that Mr. Adamu had been a party member for approximately three months prior to the governorship primary, thereby arguing that his emergence as candidate remains unaffected by the Supreme Court's ruling. Despite ongoing debate among political parties and legal experts regarding the practical implications of the ruling for individual candidates, Mr. Adamu's campaign maintains that his candidacy remains valid.

This latest development regarding Mr. Adamu's candidacy follows a period of previous uncertainty surrounding his nomination. Initially, INEC had listed Musa Angbazo as the SDP's governorship candidate for Nasarawa State. However, the party subsequently replaced Mr. Angbazo with Mr. Adamu after conducting a fresh primary election in September, which ultimately saw the former IGP emerge as the party's flagbearer.

Lawyers advising political parties or candidates must scrutinize nomination processes and party membership registers against the upheld Sections 77 and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. This is crucial for assessing candidate eligibility and advising clients on potential compliance risks or challenges to candidacies following the Supreme Court's affirmation of INEC's regulatory powers.

Source: Reporting based on recent legal developments.