2027: Reps panel urges INEC to disqualify candidates affected by Supreme Court ruling

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to audit the candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 general elections and disqualify those whose names are not contained in the parties’ membership registers.

The committee made the demand in a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by its chairman, Bayo Balogun, and addressed to INEC. It cited Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly subsections 4 to 6, which govern political party membership registers and participation in party primaries.  

The intervention follows a recent Supreme Court judgment that restored the validity of provisions of the Electoral Act concerning party membership registers and candidate nomination processes. The committee said the ruling had changed the legal position that previously led INEC to exercise caution over enforcing the provisions while related court proceedings were pending.  

Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names appear in a political party’s register are eligible to vote or be voted for at the party’s primaries, congresses and conventions. The committee therefore wants INEC to compare the names submitted by all registered political parties with their membership registers previously filed with the commission.  

Balogun said the Supreme Court’s decision meant that the relevant provisions were no longer subject to the uncertainty that had surrounded their implementation. He consequently called on INEC to enforce Sections 77(4) to 77(6) without further delay.

The committee warned that political parties and candidates found to have violated the provisions should face disqualification. It described the proposed audit as a test of INEC’s willingness to enforce the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 elections.  

The lawmakers also argued that an early review could prevent a new wave of post-primary litigation. They said identifying possible violations before the election would help reduce disputes over candidate eligibility and prevent the courts from being overwhelmed by cases arising from non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

The Supreme Court ruling has already generated debate over the status of some candidates whose party membership, defections or nomination processes could come under scrutiny. However, legal experts have cautioned that the judgment did not automatically invalidate every nomination previously concluded. Individual cases may depend on whether candidates were properly registered members, when their names appeared on party registers and whether the relevant primary complied with the law.

The committee’s request therefore places additional pressure on INEC as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections and the commission works to implement the implications of the Supreme Court decision.

Any decision by INEC to disqualify candidates on the basis of the restored provisions is likely to attract further political and legal challenges, particularly from affected candidates and their political parties.