Former IGP Mohammed Adamu says he remains SDP candidate in Nasarawa

Former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has insisted that he remains the Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Nasarawa State despite questions arising from a recent Supreme Court judgment. Adamu’s campaign said the September 24 judgment did not disqualify him, invalidate the SDP membership register or overturn the direct primary through which he emerged as the party’s candidate. The Independent National Electoral Commission said it would first obtain and study the Certified True Copy of the judgment.

INEC Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity Wilfred Ifogah said the commission would meet after receiving the document to determine its next steps. Adamu’s director of digital media and strategic communications, Otaru Douglas, said the ruling was a general affirmation of INEC’s regulatory powers over party membership registers. He said no court had invalidated the SDP register, cancelled the primary or ordered INEC to remove Adamu from the ballot.

The Supreme Court restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning membership registers and the nomination of candidates through direct primaries or consensus. The case followed a legal challenge by the Zenith Labour Party. Adamu’s candidacy had already faced uncertainty.

INEC initially listed Musa Angbazo as the SDP candidate before the party replaced him after a fresh primary following Angbazo’s withdrawal. The party said 28,637 delegates participated across Nasarawa’s 13 local government areas. INEC has not announced a decision removing Adamu from the 2027 race.

The SDP continues to maintain that the judgment does not affect his nomination.