Supreme Court Clarifies Party Membership Rules for 2027

On 24 September 2026, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), clarifying essential rules concerning political party membership registers and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The court restored four provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, specifically Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2). Key points include that only registered party members can participate in primaries, and parties must utilize the membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Failure to submit this register within the legal deadline could result in a party losing the right to field candidates. The ruling also clarified that a party's violation does not automatically disqualify every member, and candidates must meet both constitutional and party-specific requirements.

INEC's National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, stated that parties violating the law would face consequences and that affected candidates cannot simply be replaced. This ruling is expected to significantly influence the upcoming elections.