Five candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC) have accused some social gathering leaders in Kano State of trying to frustrate their participation within the forthcoming basic elections by protests, petitions and media campaigns.
The candidates urged the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to withstand alleged makes an attempt to intimidate its officers and affect pending courtroom instances over the social gathering’s primaries.
The candidates made the allegations in a petition addressed to the INEC chairman by the Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner, in response to an earlier petition dated October 16, 2026, submitted by Tahir Chambers on behalf of the Kano NDC chapter towards an INEC official, Mrs Hauwa Buhari.
The petition, signed by their counsel, Bola Aidi, SAN, recognized the affected candidates as Abdulmajid Umar (Gwale), Shaaban Sharada (Kano Municipal), Ismaeel Sani (Kumbotso), Ibrahim Bango (Sumaila/Takai) and Nasir Ahmed (Nasarawa).
Aidi alleged that some officers of the social gathering’s state chapter, appearing on the prompting of an influential political chief dissatisfied with the result of the primaries, have been working to stop the candidates from contesting the elections.
He maintained that the candidates accomplished the prescribed nomination processes with the social gathering’s nationwide management recognising their nominations.
According to the petition, the nationwide management instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1628/2026 on the Federal High Court in Abuja, looking for an order compelling INEC to add the names of its nominated candidates.
The counsel stated the courtroom granted an interim order directing the fee to add the names of the affected candidates, amongst others.
He additional disclosed that the Federal High Court in Kano delivered judgments on October 14, 2026, affirming the candidature of two of the 5 candidates.
Aidi alleged that subsequent protests in Kano and Abuja have been supposed to undermine the courtroom selections and affect the remaining instances.
However, he urged INEC to research the allegations towards Buhari, who was accused within the earlier petition of issuing a number of inconsistent and undated monitoring studies on the social gathering’s primaries.
He stated the fee ought to conduct any investigation impartially and primarily based on credible proof, warning towards utilizing administrative procedures to persecute officers over disputed electoral information.
The counsel additionally cited Sections 158(1) and 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, on INEC’s institutional independence and the enforcement of courtroom selections.
He disclosed that his purchasers had taken steps to contain the police in investigating alleged threats, intimidation and potential interference with judicial proceedings.
The candidates requested INEC to protect all unique monitoring studies, correspondence and digital information regarding the disputed primaries, whereas giving impact to subsisting courtroom judgments until stayed or put aside by a reliable courtroom.
They additionally known as on the fee to stay impartial and defend its officers from improper political stress.
Aidi clarified that his purchasers weren’t against peaceable protests or lawful petitions however have been involved about any accompanying intimidation or illegal conduct.
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