The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Kano State Chapter, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the alleged issuance of multiple inconsistent monitoring reports on the party’s primary elections in the state.

The party made the call in a statement dated October 19, 2026, signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Magaji Mato Ibrahim and four other lawyers, in response to a public statement issued on October 17 by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co., solicitors to five individuals claiming candidature under the NDC in Kano State.

According to the lawyers representing the NDC Kano State Chapter, the petition submitted to the INEC chairman on October 16 concerned the conduct of Mrs Hauwa Buhari, Head of the Department of Election and Party Monitoring at the commission’s Kano State office.

The lawyers said the petition sought an investigation into what they described as materially inconsistent versions of a monitoring report allegedly signed by the same INEC official concerning the party’s primary elections.

They maintained that the petition was issued with the authority of the NDC Kano State Chapter, dismissing suggestions that the party’s leadership was unaware of the complaint.

“The petition was issued on the instructions of the NDC Kano State Chapter. We have since received and confirmed those instructions,” the lawyers said.

They argued that the state chapter had the right to challenge the integrity of official records purportedly reflecting the outcome of its primary elections, particularly where such documents were being relied upon in court proceedings involving the party’s candidates.

The lawyers further alleged that the different versions of the monitoring report contained material inconsistencies, with some allegedly undated, while listing individuals who, according to the party, were neither screened nor cleared for the relevant constituencies.

They also claimed that the reports excluded candidates recognised by the party whose names appeared on Form EC9D, which they said was signed by the NDC National Chairman and National Secretary and submitted to INEC.

According to the statement, the INEC official had previously acknowledged gaps in the monitoring report, while a corrected version was allegedly forwarded to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja without formal communication or implementation.

The lawyers argued that the alleged discrepancies required an administrative investigation by INEC, irrespective of the ongoing court cases involving the disputed candidatures.

They said the commission had a responsibility to establish the authenticity of its official records and resolve any inconsistencies that could affect the integrity of the electoral process.

Lawyers Raise Concerns Over Court Proceedings

The NDC’s lawyers also questioned the circumstances surrounding the suits filed at the Federal High Court by the five individuals represented by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co., who claim to be candidates of the party in Kano State.

According to the statement, the cases were instituted and prosecuted without notice to the candidates recognised by the party until recently.

The lawyers said the affected candidates had taken steps to establish the status of the proceedings and pursue appropriate legal remedies to defend their nominations.

They expressed concern that individuals whose electoral interests were allegedly directly affected by the cases were not joined in the proceedings from the outset.

The statement argued that the failure to join such interested parties raised questions about compliance with the principles of fair hearing, particularly in pre-election disputes.

The lawyers maintained that all parties whose rights could be affected by a court’s decision should be given an opportunity to participate in the proceedings in accordance with the applicable rules of court.

NDC Questions Response by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co.

The party’s lawyers also questioned why Bola Aidi, SAN & Co. had issued a public statement defending the INEC official instead of directly addressing the allegations concerning the conflicting monitoring reports.

According to them, Mrs Hauwa Buhari is an official of a constitutional body with the institutional capacity and legal responsibility to defend its personnel and official records.

They described the decision by private solicitors representing individuals claiming candidature under the NDC to publicly defend an INEC official against a petition concerning the integrity of electoral records as unusual.

However, the lawyers cautioned against speculation, stating that any relationship between the solicitors, their clients and the conduct of the INEC official should be established through an investigation by the commission.

They insisted that the central issue remained the alleged inconsistencies in the monitoring reports and the need for INEC to determine which version accurately reflected the party’s primary elections.

Party Cites Pending Appeals

The statement also addressed the reliance by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co. on Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1628/2026 and judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in Kano on October 14, 2026.

The NDC’s lawyers said the judgments were the subject of appeals and maintained that the existence of court decisions did not prevent INEC from investigating the authenticity of records generated by its officials.

They cited Section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, arguing that the obligation to obey subsisting court orders did not preclude the commission from examining or correcting defective administrative records.

According to the statement, the proper forum for challenging the judgments was the Court of Appeal, adding that the respondents in the cases had already filed an appeal against the Federal High Court’s decision in Kano.

The lawyers further stated that the appeal had been served on INEC’s Kano office and its national headquarters in Abuja.

They also argued that the party’s screening and clearance records, alongside Form EC9D, showed that the five individuals represented by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co. had not fulfilled the party’s requirements for nomination in the relevant constituencies.

According to the lawyers, an INEC monitoring report could not, by itself, confer candidature on individuals who had not satisfied the party’s screening and clearance requirements.

They further maintained that such a report could not override the party’s official submission under Section 29 of the Electoral Act, 2026.

NDC Demands Immediate Investigation

The lawyers called on the INEC chairman to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged issuance of multiple inconsistent and undated monitoring reports signed by Mrs Hauwa Buhari.

They urged the commission to withdraw or disown any versions found to be defective and issue a single, authentic and properly dated report reflecting the candidates nominated by the party and submitted to the commission.

The lawyers also called on INEC to communicate the authentic report to the relevant parties and take appropriate administrative or disciplinary action if the investigation established any wrongdoing.

They argued that the commission’s independence would be strengthened by ensuring the accuracy and consistency of its official records rather than resisting complaints about alleged discrepancies.

In conclusion, the NDC Kano State Chapter reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law and the integrity of the electoral process, according to the statement.

The lawyers said the party’s recognised candidates would pursue all available legal remedies, including the pending appeals, to protect their nominations.

They also urged all parties to allow INEC to discharge its administrative responsibility of addressing defective records while allowing the Court of Appeal to determine the pending appeals based on the evidence and applicable law.

The statement was signed by Magaji Mato Ibrahim, SAN, I.M. Abdullahi, Esq., Siraj Hamza, Esq., Fengak Obadiah Gokir, Esq., and Uchechukwu Michael Ogbei, Esq., on October 19, 2026.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has appointed Inuwa Waya as Director of Engagement with International Corporations in the campaign council, bringing into the team a lawyer, seasoned administrator and experienced politician with extensive professional and international exposure.

Waya, who spent over three decades working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), has built a career spanning public service, administration and politics.

A lawyer by profession, he has also travelled widely across the world and worked in several countries, including England, the United States and Dubai, experiences that have exposed him to different professional environments, business practices and international relations.

His combination of legal knowledge, decades of experience in the petroleum industry and exposure to international corporate environments provides a strong professional background for his new assignment.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Economic Council has endorsed a 90-day economic action plan aimed at reducing the cost of living, improving food affordability and attracting investment across Nigeria.

The plan was proposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and endorsed on Thursday during the council’s 161st meeting, chaired virtually by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

According to a statement by Shettima’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the plan has five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, completion of high-impact projects, resolution of investment bottlenecks and regulated household support.

The council also approved the establishment of a national dashboard to track projects across the country, with emphasis on transparency, accountability and reporting on how proceeds from fuel subsidy removal are being used.

Speaking at the meeting, Shettima urged state governors and relevant government institutions to ensure that the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms translate into better living conditions for Nigerians.

He said the success of economic policies should be measured by their impact on people’s daily lives, including access to affordable transportation, healthcare, employment opportunities and financial security.

“The first dividend of prosperity should be the confidence to plan a life. Our task is to make such confidence less dependent on fortune,” the vice president said.

Shettima also called for greater cooperation between federal and state governments, saying their separate responsibilities should not hinder the delivery of essential services.

“Our separate mandates must not become competing excuses. Each governor carries knowledge that no federal document can supply,” he said.

On transportation, the vice president said the National Compressed Natural Gas Bus Initiative should be assessed by how much it reduces commuters’ expenses rather than the number of vehicles deployed.

“The cost of reaching a livelihood should never consume the livelihood itself. The passenger’s experience must guide our ambition, because the value of public transport resides in the journeys it makes possible. We should assess success through affordability and access, rather than fleet size alone,” he said.

The council also resolved to establish a joint financing framework between the Federal Government and state governments to accelerate the deployment of compressed natural gas and electric vehicles.

It directed relevant authorities to engage transport unions and operators to ensure that savings from the use of the vehicles are passed on to commuters through lower fares.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, briefed the council on the reported Ebola outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory and assured members that Nigeria had the institutional capacity to contain the situation.

Pate said the national response would focus on coordination, detection at points of entry, laboratory testing, the provision of essential kits and personal protective equipment, and public communication.

He said 21 state governments had updated their preparedness and response plans, urging the remaining 15 states to establish appropriate mechanisms.

The council also directed states to strengthen polio eradication efforts, particularly in communities where children were missed during immunisation campaigns and areas affected by insecurity.

It further acknowledged the potential of livestock development to create jobs, stimulate economic growth and improve livelihoods, resolving to strengthen cooperation between federal and state governments to advance the sector.