Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has advised candidates omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list for the 2027 general elections to avoid spending money on fresh court cases.
Sani said the Supreme Court judgement underpinning INEC’s decision was clear, urging the affected politicians to accept the situation and prepare for future electoral contests.
The former senator gave the advice in a post on his social media platforms, according to Daily Trust.
“The Supreme Court ruling that enabled INEC to exclude some names of candidates is very clear.
“Affected candidates should not waste their money, time and energy fighting a lost battle,” he said.
Sani also appealed to lawyers representing the affected politicians to discourage them from pursuing further litigation if their cases lacked a viable legal basis.
He urged senior advocates to consider the financial implications of prolonged court battles for the politicians.
“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 former lawmaker advised the politicians to use the period to strategise for subsequent elections.
“Four years will come and go; let them strategise for the future,” he said.
INEC released the list after reviewing complaints from political parties and aspirants over the implications of a Supreme Court judgement on candidate eligibility.
The commission had earlier said it was studying the certified true copy of the judgement to determine its next steps.
The Supreme Court, in its September 24, 2026 judgement, affirmed the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 elections.
Following the judgement, INEC maintained that political parties could not participate in the elections with candidates whose names were absent from the registers submitted within the stipulated period.
The commission also said parties would not be permitted to substitute such candidates.
Among those whose names were reportedly missing from the latest list were former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who sought the governorship of Gombe State.
Others included the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate in Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
Pantami had defected from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP after the ruling party in Gombe settled for Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as its consensus candidate.
Sani, who is seeking a return to the Senate on the APC platform, won his party’s Kaduna Central senatorial primary in May after defeating former Kaduna State House of Assembly Speaker Yusuf Zailani.
The 2027 general elections are expected to test the parties’ compliance with electoral laws and INEC’s candidate nomination requirements.
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