Iliasu is now asking the court to declare the substitution unlawful, illegal, null and void, arguing that he never withdrew his candidacy and did not authorise the PDP to replace his name.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has been accused of forging the signature of its Kwara North Senatorial candidate, Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu, in a move allegedly aimed at replacing him with Kolo Baba Jiya, a recent defector from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Iliasu, who won the PDP primary election for the Kwara North Senatorial District conducted on May 20, 2026, and subsequently received the party’s Certificate of Return in June, has challenged his substitution before the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The controversy followed the publication by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its final list of candidates for the 2027 National Assembly election on September 12, 2026, in which Jiya’s name appeared as the PDP’s candidate for Kwara North in place of Iliasu.
Iliasu is now asking the court to declare the substitution unlawful, illegal, null and void, arguing that he never withdrew his candidacy and did not authorise the PDP to replace his name.
The suit, marked FHC/IL/CS/136/2025, was filed by Iliasu against INEC, the PDP and Kolo Jiya, who are listed as respondents.
According to the court documents, Iliasu contends that he was duly nominated by the PDP after emerging as the winner of the party’s primary election held on May 20, 2026.
He said INEC subsequently published his name on August 1, 2026, as the PDP candidate for the Kwara North Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
However, he said the electoral body later published Jiya’s name on September 12, 2026, as his replacement.
Iliasu described the substitution as unauthorised, unconstitutional and contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
He argued that he neither voluntarily withdrew from the race nor submitted any written notice withdrawing his candidature, as required by law.
The case has also triggered questions over how the PDP was able to secure the substitution of Iliasu’s name at INEC despite his claim that he did not withdraw his candidacy.
In his suit, Iliasu relied on Sections 29(1) and (3), 31, 32 and 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, arguing that the PDP could not lawfully substitute his name without his voluntary withdrawal in accordance with the law.
He is asking the court for several declarations and orders, including an order directing INEC to continue recognising him as the PDP’s candidate for the Kwara North Senatorial District.
One of the declarations sought by Iliasu reads: “A declaration that by the combined reading and effect of Sections 29(1) and (3), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the substitution of the name of the 3rd Respondent for the name of the Applicant by the 2nd Respondent, and the sanctioning of same by the 1st Respondent is unlawful, illegal, null, void, and of no effect whatsoever…”
He argued that the substitution was invalid because his candidature had already been completed after he emerged winner of the party’s May 20 primary and his name was subsequently published by INEC as the PDP candidate.
The suit further states that the substitution occurred “when the Applicant has not withdrawn his candidature as required by Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
Iliasu is also asking the court to declare the September 12 publication of Jiya’s name unlawful.
The second relief sought by the applicant states: “A declaration that by virtue of Sections 29(1) and (2), 31, 32(1) and 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the publication of the name of the 3rd Respondent by the 1st Respondent on the 12th day of September, 2026 in replacement of the name of the Applicant whose name had earlier been submitted under Section 29 of the Electoral Act and published as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent… is unlawful, illegal, null, void, and of no effect whatsoever when the Applicant has not withdrawn his candidature as required by Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
Iliasu is further asking the court to declare him the “rightful and validly nominated candidate” of the PDP for the Kwara North Senatorial District in the 2027 election.
He wants the court to order INEC to continue recognising him as the party’s candidate.
He is also asking the court to restrain INEC, its organs, agents, officers, representatives, officials, staff and other persons acting under its authority from recognising Jiya as the PDP candidate for the district.
The relief sought by the applicant states: “An order of this Honourable Court restraining the 1st Respondent, her organs, Agents, officers, representative, officials, staff, servants, or anybody howsoever called or described acting through or on her instruction or authority from recognizing the 3rd Respondent as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent in the 2027 general election for the Kwara North Senatorial District when the Applicant has not withdrawn his candidature.”
Iliasu is also seeking “such further order(s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
Jiya, who is now listed by INEC as the PDP candidate for Kwara North, recently defected from the APC to join the opposition party.
Both Jiya and Senator Saliu Mustapha were members of the G15 group that recently moved to the PDP alongside former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Meanwhile, Senator Saliu Mustapha’s nomination has reportedly been challenged by two separate members of the party, with the challengers questioning the process through which he emerged as the party’s candidate.
They have alleged that his ticket was produced through an undemocratic and unconstitutional primary proces.
