https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/9ad6f14175c19b5d47267c3dd5840c14bad43c83/src/validation.cpp#L3711

If i'm following right the flow of the code, when we hit this lane `pindex` should be always equal to nullptr thus this check may be omitted
std::set<CBlockIndex*, CBlockIndexWorkComparator>::iterator it = setBlockIndexCandidates.begin();
    while (it != setBlockIndexCandidates.end() && setBlockIndexCandidates.value_comp()(*it, m_chain.Tip())) {
        setBlockIndexCandidates.erase(it++);
    }
    
    assert(!setBlockIndexCandidates.empty());
}
/**
 * Try to make some progress towards making pindexMostWork the active block.
 * pblock is either nullptr or a pointer to a CBlock corresponding to pindexMostWork.
 *
 * @returns true unless a system error occurred
 */
bool CChainState::ActivateBestChainStep(BlockValidationState& state, const CChainParams& chainparams, CBlockIndex* pindexMostWork, const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock>& pblock, bool& fInvalidFound, ConnectTrace& connectTrace)