INEC Under Pressure As Reps Demand Disqualification Of Ineligible 2027 Candidates

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify candidates whose names are not contained in the membership registers of the political parties that nominated them for the 2027 elections.

The committee said the move was necessary to ensure strict compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and prevent disputes arising from violations of the law.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the committee made the demand in a letter addressed to INEC and signed by its chairman, Bayo Balogun, following a recent Supreme Court judgment that restored disputed provisions of the Electoral Act relating to party membership registers and candidate nominations.

Balogun specifically asked INEC to enforce Section 77 of the Electoral Act and ensure that political parties comply with the requirements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He urged the commission to conduct an audit of the candidates submitted by all political parties and verify their names against the membership registers previously filed with INEC.

The lawmaker said the registers should have been submitted at least 21 days before the conduct of the relevant primaries, congresses or conventions, in line with the provisions of the Act.

Balogun noted that INEC had previously expressed concerns about legal uncertainties surrounding the interpretation and enforcement of Section 77 because of pending litigation and conflicting court decisions.

He said the circumstances had changed following the Supreme Court’s ruling, which, according to him, removed the uncertainty surrounding the disputed provisions and provided a basis for their enforcement.

The committee chairman further argued that strict implementation of the law would help reduce the possibility of prolonged legal battles involving political parties and candidates who fail to meet statutory requirements.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court had in September restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 after upholding an appeal by INEC.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the apex court held that the disputed provisions were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution and consequently set aside the earlier Court of Appeal judgment.

The Supreme Court restored the decision of the Federal High Court, which had dismissed a suit brought by the Zenith Labour Party challenging the provisions.

Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act stipulates that only members whose names appear on a political party’s membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention can participate in the exercise.

Section 77(6) prohibits political parties from using a membership register other than the one submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions.

The following subsection provides that a political party that fails to submit its membership register within the prescribed period cannot sponsor a candidate in an election.

Meanwhile, Section 84(2) provides that political parties are to nominate candidates for elective positions through direct primaries or consensus.