The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said political parties may not be allowed to field candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted to the commission, following the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the commission’s position on Wednesday while speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme.
Haruna also said parties would not be permitted to substitute candidates affected by the membership-register requirement, arguing that allowing substitutions could enable political parties to benefit from non-compliance with the law.
The issue stems from the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment affirming the constitutionality of key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political-party membership registers and candidate nomination.
The provisions include Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7), which regulate participation in party primaries, congresses and conventions.
Under the law, only members whose names appear on a party’s membership register submitted to INEC within the prescribed period can participate in the relevant nomination process.
Haruna said the requirement could have significant implications for the 2027 election cycle, warning that some political parties could find themselves unable to field candidates in certain contests if the legal requirements were not met.
He indicated that the rule applies across the electoral ladder, from presidential candidates through governorship and legislative contests.
The development follows growing concern among political parties and aspirants over the practical consequences of the Supreme Court ruling.
The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters had already urged INEC to audit candidates submitted by political parties and disqualify those whose names were not contained in the membership registers previously submitted to the commission.
INEC, however, has indicated that it is reviewing the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment and consulting its legal experts before making a final and comprehensive pronouncement.
That distinction is important as parties prepare for their nomination processes and the 2027 election timetable.
The Electoral Act itself also places restrictions on changing or substituting candidates after nomination, with exceptions including the death or withdrawal of a candidate under specified conditions.
The commission’s interpretation could therefore have far-reaching consequences for political parties whose candidates are found not to have complied with the membership-register provisions.
With party primaries and nomination processes forming the foundation of the 2027 electoral contest, compliance with the new legal requirements is likely to become one of the most closely watched issues in the next phase of Nigeria’s election preparations.
INEC’s eventual detailed guidance is expected to clarify how the Supreme Court ruling will be applied to candidates and political parties ahead of the 2027 polls.