In a stunning blow to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Supreme Court of Nigeria has thrown out the commission’s appeal in its heated legal battle with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ordering INEC’s counsel to cough up ₦2 million in costs. The high-profile case, which has gripped the nation’s attention, centered on the recognition of SDP candidates in by-elections across 12 states,a saga that has now ended with a resounding defeat for the electoral umpire.

INEC, apparently unsatisfied with earlier court decisions, had desperately tried to overturn a Court of Appeal ruling that forced it to include SDP candidates on the ballot. The commission’s refusal to recognize these candidates, despite monitoring the party’s primaries, sparked outrage and led to a protracted courtroom showdown. The SDP, not one to back down, dragged INEC to the Federal High Court, demanding justice for what it called an unjustified exclusion.

INEC’s main argument? That the SDP’s nomination letters were invalid because they were signed by party officials allegedly suspended at the time. The commission insisted that this technicality rendered all SDP nominations null and void, raising questions about the legitimacy of the entire process. But the courts weren’t buying it.

The Federal High Court sided with the SDP, ordering INEC to put the party’s candidates on the ballot. INEC grudgingly complied but quickly appealed, only to be shot down again by the Court of Appeal. Still not satisfied, INEC took the fight to the Supreme Court, hoping for a last-minute reversal.

But the Supreme Court wasn’t having any of it. In a unanimous decision, the justices declared the whole appeal “academic,” pointing out that the by-elections were already over and the winners sworn in. Justice Mohammed Idris, delivering the lead judgment, made it clear: the courts don’t waste time on hypothetical questions. The message? INEC’s persistence was pointless.

To drive the point home, the Supreme Court not only dismissed the appeal but also slapped INEC’s lawyer with a ₦2 million penalty, signaling its frustration with the commission’s insistence on dragging out a dead issue. The ruling leaves no doubt about the finality of electoral disputes once elections are done and dusted.

Legal experts are already calling this a landmark win for the SDP, which stood its ground against what it saw as INEC’s overreach. For INEC, the judgment is a public rebuke and a warning about the dangers of pursuing legal battles long after the fact. The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to shape how future electoral disputes are handled, especially when it comes to party leadership and candidate recognition.

In the end, the SDP walks away vindicated, while INEC is left to count the cost,both financial and reputational,of a legal fight that, according to the nation’s highest court, should never have gone this far.