Legal questions have emerged over the 2027 governorship candidacy of Muhammad Nami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Niger State, following a recent Supreme Court judgment concerning political party membership registers and eligibility for party primaries.
A Minna-based constitutional lawyer, Barrister Abdulmumin Jibril Abdullahi, said Nami’s candidacy could be subjected to legal scrutiny if evidence establishes that his name was not included in the PDP membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the period prescribed by law.
The concerns follow the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the validity of Sections 77 and 84 of the Electoral Act 2026, as amended, which include provisions governing party membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries.
According to the information available, Nami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate on August 29, 2026, following the withdrawal of the party’s previous candidate.
His emergence has, however, generated questions over his previous political affiliation. Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have alleged that Nami was an APC senatorial aspirant earlier in 2026 before becoming the PDP’s governorship candidate.
However, the available information does not establish that Nami was ineligible to contest the PDP nomination. His supporters and some analysts have argued that the legal position requires further consideration, particularly in relation to Section 33 of the Electoral Act, which provides for the replacement of candidates in circumstances recognised by law, including withdrawal.
Section 77 of the Electoral Act requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC not later than 21 days before the date fixed for their primaries, congresses or conventions.
The provision further states that only members whose names appear on the register submitted to INEC are eligible to vote or be voted for in the relevant party primary, congress or convention.
The Supreme Court’s judgment affirmed the constitutionality of these provisions but, based on the information provided, did not make a specific determination on Nami’s candidacy.
With INEC expected to publish the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and State House of Assembly elections by October 10, 2026, the commission’s interpretation of the relevant provisions could provide further clarity on the status of Nami’s candidacy.
Until such clarification or a specific judicial determination is made, the legal concerns surrounding Nami’s candidature remain matters of contention rather than an established disqualification.
Source: Daily Trust
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Politics