Nigeria's INEC restores constituencies and faces candidate substitution lawsuit

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restored four State House of Assembly constituencies in Delta and Kogi States following court judgments. The restored areas include Abraka, Isoko North II, and Ughelli South II in Delta State, as well as Yagba West II in Kogi State. Elections for these constituencies are scheduled for September 19, 2026, with political party primaries set to take place between August 21 and 25, 2026.

Separately, INEC and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are facing legal action in the Federal High Court in Lagos. A lawsuit filed by Hon. Tunde Pratt alleges the unlawful substitution of his candidacy for the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency. Pratt claims he won the NDC primary on May 29, 2026, but that his name was illegally replaced with that of Tunji Sanni, a move he argues violates the Electoral Act and undermines the democratic mandate of the party delegates.