Shehu Sani Urges Candidates Missing From INEC List To Stop Fresh Court Battles

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has urged candidates excluded from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s list for the 2027 elections to avoid further court battles and begin preparing for future elections.

Sani made the appeal in a terse message on his X handle, citing the Supreme Court ruling that he said clarified INEC’s authority to exclude certain candidates.

He also appealed to lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), not to encourage affected politicians to file fresh suits that could further drain their financial resources.

“The Supreme Court ruling that enabled INEC to exclude some names of candidates is very clear,” Sani wrote.

He urged lawyers to consider the financial implications of prolonged litigation for their clients rather than encourage them to spend more money pursuing fresh cases.

“I also wish to appeal to those Barristers and SANs to ‘pity’ those candidates and allow them to rest, and not mislead them into spending more money ‘filing fresh suits’,” he added.

The APC senatorial candidate for Kaduna advised the affected politicians to accept the setback and redirect their efforts towards future electoral contests.

“Four years will come and go; let them strategise for the future,” he said.

INEC List Raises Questions Over Excluded Candidates

Sani’s comments come amid controversy over INEC’s published list of candidates for the 2027 elections, particularly the absence of some aspirants following disputes over party primaries and court proceedings.

Among those reported missing from the relevant lists are former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who sought the Gombe State governorship ticket, and Ogun State PDP governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu and his running mate.

The exclusions have raised questions about the relationship between party primaries, court orders and INEC’s statutory responsibilities in publishing candidates for elections.

While Sani believes affected politicians should avoid what he considers futile legal battles, any decision to pursue further litigation would depend on the specific court judgments, the circumstances of each case and the legal remedies available.

His message adds to the debate over the options open to candidates whose names are missing from INEC’s list ahead of the 2027 elections.