PDP sues INEC over substitution of names

PDP sues INEC over substitution of names

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State is witnessing a renewed crisis, as its candidate for Kwara North senatorial election, Rotimi Iliasu, has taken the party to the Federal High Court, Ilorin to challenge the replacement of his name with Kolo Jiya’s.

Iliasu maintained that he won the PDP primary election conducted on May 20, 2026. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently published his name as the party’s candidate for Kwara North senatorial election on August 1, 2026.

However, in a recent list released by INEC, Iliasu’s name has been replaced with Jiya’s, leading him to file the suit.

Jiya recently joined the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a round of negotiations between the leadership of the opposition party and some aggrieved APC leaders in the state.

As part of the negotiations, Kwara PDP agreed to forfeit some party elective tickets to the group, an arrangement from which Senator Saliu Mustapha has benefited as the new Kwara Central senatorial candidate, as well as Jiya emerging as the new Kwara North senatorial candidate.

This move appears not to go down well with Iliasu, who is asking the court to determine whether the replacement of his name and subsequent publication of Jiya’s name by INEC complied with the Electoral Act 2026.

Iliasu, in the suit marked FHC/IL/CS/136/2026, cited Sections 29, 31, 32 and 33 of the act. He also sought the court to declare the substitution of his name as null and void, while mandating INEC to continue to recognise him as the rightful candidate of PDP.

The case was filed by lawyers from Alajo & Associates Ilorin on behalf of Iliasu. It has INEC, PDP and Jiya as respondents.

The applicant also prayed for an order restraining INEC from further recognising Jiya as PDP candidate until the suit is determined.

This suit by Iliasu may have big consequences for Kwara PDP as it goes to the polls next year.