A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must recognize and publish the names of candidates submitted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the February 21 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reinforcing political parties’ rights to manage their internal nomination processes.
Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the judgment on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in a suit filed by 17 ADC candidates who challenged INEC’s refusal to grant the party electronic access to upload their names for the forthcoming polls.
The court held that the plaintiffs provided credible and convincing evidence, which outweighed INEC’s position, and ruled that they were entitled to all the reliefs sought in their originating summons.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1907/25, Justice Umar ordered INEC to recognise and publish the candidates forwarded by the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, for the Area Council elections.
The court further directed INEC to immediately grant the ADC electronic access to upload the candidates’ details on its portal, in line with Sections 29(1), 31, 33 and 84(1), (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022, as well as INEC’s own election guidelines.
The candidates ordered to be uploaded include Jafaru Shaibu, Ayenajeyi Yakubu, Dauda Awode, Ezra Zaki, Sunday Abraham, Ayuba Adam, Jamilu Kabiru, Nuhu Madaki, Ibrahim Aliyu, Ogwuche Linus, Chibuike Anyika, Okechukwu Ironkwe, Godwin Adoga, Agada John, Onuoha Goodness, Mahrazu Bichi and Tobias Obechina.
The plaintiffs had approached the court after INEC allegedly denied the ADC access to upload their names as candidates for the council elections.
In a 27-paragraph affidavit, one of the plaintiffs, Onuoha Goodness, stated that the affected candidates participated in the party’s substitution primary election following the withdrawal of candidates from the main primary, whose names had already been uploaded before the August 11, 2025 deadline.
According to the affidavit, the ADC attempted to upload the required INEC Forms EC9 and EC13 for the new candidates but was repeatedly denied access to the portal.
The plaintiffs also claimed that a formal request seeking INEC’s intervention was rejected when the commission allegedly refused to accept a letter delivered by their lawyer, Kalu Agu.
The ruling effectively clears the way for ADC participation in the FCT Area Council elections and underscores the judiciary’s role in safeguarding internal party democracy and candidates’ rights ahead of elections.
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