Ahead of the February 21 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish the list of candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark–led national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, Justice Mohammed Umar held that the ADC met all statutory requirements for the inclusion of its candidates in the forthcoming election and that INEC acted wrongly in denying the party access to upload its candidates’ details.
The ruling followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1907/25, filed by 17 ADC candidates who challenged INEC’s refusal to grant them electronic access to participate in the FCT Area Council polls.
Justice Umar ruled that the plaintiffs presented credible and convincing evidence, successfully proving their case against the electoral body. Consequently, the court directed INEC to recognise and publish the names of the plaintiffs as duly nominated ADC candidates for the various elective positions they contested in the party’s substitution primary election ahead of the 2026 FCT Area Council elections.
The court further ordered INEC to grant the ADC electronic access to upload the candidates’ names 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 election guidelines.
Those affected by the ruling include Jafaru Shaibu, Ayenajeyi Yakubu, Dauda Awode, Ezra Zaki, Sunday Abraham, Ayuba Adam, Jamilu Kabiru, Nuhu Madaki, Ibrahim Ali, Ogwuche Linus, Chibuike Anyika, Okechukwu Ironkwe, Godwin Adoga, Agada John, Onuoha Goodness, Mahrazu Bichi and Tobias Obechina.
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In a 27-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one of the plaintiffs, Onuoha Goodness, the candidates told the court that they emerged through the ADC’s primary election conducted after the withdrawal of earlier nominees whose names had been submitted before the August 11, 2025 deadline.
They said that despite their emergence, the party was unable to upload their Forms EC9 and EC13 on INEC’s portal due to denial of access. According to them, communication between ADC and INEC ICT departments showed that the issue stemmed from INEC’s refusal to recognise the signatures of the current ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The plaintiffs further claimed that subsequent attempts by the ADC to formally notify INEC and request portal access, including a letter submitted through their counsel, were rejected by the electoral body.
Describing INEC’s actions as deliberate and unjust, the plaintiffs asked the court to compel the commission to grant the ADC electronic access and publish their names as candidates for the upcoming FCT Area Council elections—a request the court ultimately granted.