PDP Guber Candidate: Lawyers Give INEC Three Days to Explain Omission of Isa Ali Ibrahim
The legal team says Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim emerged from a fresh court-ordered primary held on September 29, 2026, and demands that INEC publish his name on the final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
A team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) representing Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) three days to publish the professor's name as the party's governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections.
In a letter dated October 12, 2026, and addressed to INEC Chairman, the legal team protested the omission of Ibrahim's name from the commission's final list of candidates published on October 10, describing the action as unlawful and unexplained.
The lawyers demanded that INEC publish and circulate Ibrahim's name by October 14, 2026, in the same manner and with the same prominence as those of other candidates.
According to the letter, the PDP had nominated Ibrahim following a fresh governorship primary conducted on September 29, in compliance with two judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in Gombe on September 24, 2026.
The earlier primary, held on May 26, was nullified by the court over issues concerning its conduct. The court subsequently directed the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise within 30 days, allowing the plaintiff and other aspirants whose screening clearance remained valid to participate.
The lawyers stated that Ibrahim emerged victorious in the fresh primary, which they said was conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026, the PDP Constitution and the party's electoral guidelines.
They further claimed that INEC officials attended, observed and monitored the exercise, adding that the commission's monitoring report was in its custody.
Court Had Ruled on Membership Dispute
The legal team also addressed the controversy surrounding Ibrahim's membership of the PDP, which featured in the earlier litigation.
In Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/9/2026, involving Usman Aliyu, popularly known as Garry, against the PDP and two others, the court held that the plaintiff had failed to establish that Ibrahim was legally incapable of being recognised as a member of the party.
Similarly, in Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/10/2026, involving Khamisu Ahmed and another against the PDP and two others, the court ruled against the plaintiff on the question of Ibrahim's membership and eligibility.
The lawyers quoted the court as holding that the absence of Ibrahim's name from a particular membership register was not, by itself, conclusive proof that he was not a party member.
However, the two judgments nullified the May 26 primary on grounds relating to the conduct of the exercise and ordered a fresh primary.
The legal team maintained that the court's consequential orders restricted recognition of nominations arising from the nullified May 26 exercise, rather than nominations resulting from a subsequent primary conducted in compliance with the judgments.
Lawyers Challenge INEC's Action
Citing previous judicial decisions, including Dingyadi & Anor v. INEC & Ors (2011), AC & Anor v. INEC (2007) and Raymond v. INEC & Ors (2023), the lawyers argued that INEC could not unilaterally remove a nominated candidate's name without lawful judicial authority.
They maintained that the commission's responsibility in party primaries includes attending, observing, monitoring and reporting on the exercise, rather than arbitrarily disqualifying candidates.
The legal team therefore urged INEC to take immediate corrective action and provide written confirmation of the steps taken to address the omission.
INEC's Position Awaited
The demand places the omission of the PDP candidate's name at the centre of a fresh dispute over the party's participation in the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
As of the date of the letter, the legal team had not indicated whether INEC had provided an explanation for the omission.
The commission's response to the demand, and the legal basis for its decision not to include Ibrahim on the final list, remain crucial to resolving the controversy.
The Analyst Online Media will continue to follow developments surrounding the dispute and INEC's response.
Editor's Note: This report is based on the letter issued by the lawyers representing Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim and the PDP. INEC's response was not included in the document provided for this report.