24 hours to polls: Confusion over candidates’ fate amid security beef-up

Court orders INEC to accept SDP candidates • Heavy security personnel, tactical team deployment in Niger • Conduct free, fair election —David Mark tells INEC •Kaduna govt, El-Rufai’s coalition bicker over rigging allegation • We are ready, on top of logistics – INEC

MORE confusion, on Thursday, trailed the fate of some candidates for Saturday’s by-elections in 12 states in spite of a court order that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reverse its their names.

This came as the Police authorities pronounced tight security for the elections, just as leaders of the major parties admonished the INEC against any act that can compromise the polls.

In Oyo State, the Police Command warned against any of its personnel escorting any individual, no matter how highly placed, to polling centres or face the wrath of the force.  

In Minna, the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, directed all tactical teams such as the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD-CBRN), Crack Squad, Tactical Support Team, to be on alert. He equally ordered a massive deployment of personnel and operational assets ahead of the by-election in Munya Constituency.

It also warned that only electoral officers, election observers and essential workers, including emergency personnel and journalists are permitted to move within this period, while quasi-security outfits are not allowed to cover the election.

Already, leaders of all the parties fielding candidates in the elections across the states have signed a peace accord facilitated by the INEC in collaboration with law enforcement agencies with other stakeholders, including the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in attendance.

Some state governments placed a restriction order on human and vehicular movements from midnight to 5 pm on Saturday, in constituencies where the elections will hold.

Court orders INEC to accept SDP candidates

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered INEC to accept the candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for all the 16 by-elections across the 12 states.

Justice Emeka Nwite made the order in a judgment he delivered in suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1525/2025 filed by the SDP against INEC over the reported rejection of its candidates.

The party claimed that the commission acted beyond its powers by refusing to recognize its candidates, despite their nomination through duly conducted primaries.

The SDP argued that its candidates for the elections were validly nominated in accordance with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC regulations.

Justice Nwite, in his judgment ruled in favour of the party and 13 others versus INEC.

The Judge ordered INEC to admit SDP to participate in the elections, just as it asked the electoral body to publish and ensure that the names of all the candidates of the party and the party’s logo to appear appropriately on all the relevant election materials.

The judgment as delivered by Justice Nwite on Thursday remains valid until set aside by the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.

Heavy Police personnel, tactical team deployment in Niger

The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, announced a massive deployment of personnel and operational assets for the by-election in Assembly Munya Constituency.

The commissioner reassured members of the public of adequate security when he inspected sensitive materials for the election at the Central Bank of Nigeria, in Minna along with the  Resident Electoral Commissioner, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and other security agencies on Thursday.

He directed all tactical teams to dominate the public space in the area, ensure Police visibility and confidence-building patrol before, during and after the election.

He added that the personnel of other security agencies under the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) would be placed on alert with Police personnel at every polling units and collation centers.

He warned that anyone who has nothing to do with the election process in the area to stay away from Munya between 6 am and 6 pm on Saturday.

Conduct free, fair election-David Mark tells INEC

The national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has called on the INEC to uphold the principles of impartiality and transparency in conducting the elections.

In a goodwill message to ADC senatorial, House of Representatives, and state Houses of Assembly candidates, Mark urged the commission to conduct a process that will restore public trust in the nation’s electoral system.

Senator Mark also called on security agencies to guarantee a level-playing field for all participants by ensuring that the will of the people prevails, even as he asked ADC supporters to be vigilant against manipulation or intimidation.

Describing the ADC as a “child of necessity” born out of the genuine desire to offer Nigerians an alternative and better governance, Senator Mark appealed to the electorate to give the party an opportunity to prove its worth.

He reminded INEC that “all eyes are on the Commission” to correct past errors that have tarnished its public image, stressing that a truly free, fair, and credible election on Saturday could help redeem its reputation.

Labour Party hails INEC’s exclusion of Abure’s candidates

The crisis in the Labour Party reared its head again in Anambra as the state chapter of the party applauded INEC for excluding candidates sponsored by the embattled national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, from Saturday’s elections in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Awka on Thursday, before a court order on reversing the commission’s action, the state chairman of the party, Mr Peter Okoye, said the decision demonstrated INEC’s respect for the rule of law.

Okoye warned that any individual or group still transacting party business with Abure does so at the risk of sanctions.

He claimed that the Labour Party neither has a candidate in the elections nor formed alliance with the ADC for the polls.

“Our party is law-abiding and will always operate within the confines of the law,” Okoye stated.

Oyo Police warn personnel against escorting candidates

In Oyo, the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, warned his personnel against escorting any of the aspirants to the polling booths.

He said the act contravenes the 1999 Constitution and the 2002 Electoral Act as amended.

“No uniformed personnel shall escort aspirants to cast their votes at polling units or wards on the day of election.

“The distribution of financial inducements or any form of coercion to influence voters is strictly forbidden. Anyone found in possession of any instrument of violence within or outside the voting area will face strict legal action and prosecution.

‘The residents should expect a significant deployment of security presence throughout the event. Our measures will include high-octane convoy patrols, intermittent shows of force, intelligence-driven raids, stop-and-search operations, and continuous surveillance across the metropolis.

‘We urge parents, guardians, and community leaders to play a pivotal role in upholding the integrity of this electoral process. We ask that you discourage your children, wards, and protégés from being used as tools for violence or disruption. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will attract legal consequences and sanctions.”

Oyo NSCDC deploys 600 personnel

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 600 personnel to beef up security for the election in Oyo State.

This deployment was announced during the August edition of the monthly Commandant’s Briefing, held on Thursday at the NSCDC Conference Hall, Area “A” command headquarters, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

The briefing, which included top brass officials such as heads of departments and units, Area Commanders, sectional heads, unit commanders, and Divisional Officers, saw the Commandant, Augustine Padonu, outline the NSCDC’s preparedness and commitment to ensuring a peaceful and secure electoral process.

Speaking during his briefing, Commandant Padonu said that the NSCDC would work in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies to ensure absolute security across the state during the election.

Sule Lamido rallies PDP members in Jigawa

The PDP rally for the Babura/Garki federal constituency elections in Jigawa State witnessed a large turnout of prospective voters at the rally of the party’s candidate, Alhaji Mustapha Sule Lamido.

The chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, the senator representing Jigawa South West, Senator Mustapha Khabeeb, other party chieftains and supporters attended the campaign.

Kaduna govt, El-Rufai’s coalition bicker over rigging allegation

Kaduna State government has dismissed the claim by the ADC/SDP coalition over alleged plan to sabotage the elections in Chikun/Kajuru and state constituencies in Sabon Gari and Zaria.

The government described the allegations as “laughable lies” by “political leftovers” of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The coalition, led by ADC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, had on Thursday, accused the administration of Governor Uba Sani of planning to rig the elections through mass recruitment of thugs, bribery of electoral officials and vote-buying.

The coalition called on INEC to guarantee the neutrality of its officials and its commitment to respect the will of the voters.

“Such a statement of commitment to election integrity must include the recusal of compromised personnel from the election process, their immediate recall and replacement with fresh electoral and technical support staff immediately,’ they stated.

In a swift reaction, the government, in a press briefing by the Commissioner of Information-designate, Ahmed Maiyaki, described the claims as baseless, mischievous, and a desperate attempt to discredit an election the coalition “knows it cannot win.”

Flanked by his counterpart in the Ministry for Local Government, Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, Mayaki said the coalition’s “poorly attended rallies” in recent weeks had already exposed their rejection by the electorate, prompting them to “cry wolf where there is none” as a face-saving measure ahead of defeat.

Maiyaki stressed that the state government has no role in election conduct, which is the exclusive responsibility of INEC, and accused the coalition of trying to drag the administration into “self-inflicted political misery.”

“We will not sit idly by while political opportunists smear the name of our administration and malign innocent officials with wild, unsubstantiated claims,” he said, adding that government lawyers had been directed to study the allegations for possible legal action.

He, however, urged voters to turn out en masse on Saturday and disregard the “ranting of political jobbers” masquerading as defenders of democracy.

“Democracy in Kaduna is alive and thriving — and no amount of theatre from El-Rufai’s political leftovers in ADC will change that,” he added.

Mamman-Lagos, on his part, dismissed the allegation of illegal deductions from local governments’ accounts, describing former Governor El-Rufai as a “frustrated politician who is sinking and wants to drag others along.”

We are ready, on top of logistics —INEC

Meanwhile, INEC has assured the political parties fielding candidates for the election and the electorate that it was fully ready for the exercise.

Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, gave the assurance in a statement on Thursday.

Speaking on logistics, the INEC National Commissioner disclosed that the final consignment of sensitive materials, being the last phase would be delivered on Thursday as scheduled.

“All non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the States. Election technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), has been configured for the election. The recruitment and training of ad hoc staff as well as security and logistics arrangements have been concluded. The final consignment of sensitive materials will be delivered today [Thursday] as scheduled,” he said.

While it cautioned political parties to draw curtains on campaigns on Thursday night, “the Commission reiterates its appeal to all those involved in the bye-elections as political parties, candidates, voters, party agents, observers and the media to adhere strictly to the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines. Doing so will ensure seamless processes.”

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