INEC Clarifies Supreme Court Ruling on Party Eligibility

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) clarified that the recent Supreme Court judgment on the Electoral Act 2026 does not disqualify individual candidates from the 2027 general elections. Instead, it addresses the eligibility of political parties to participate and field candidates based on compliance with statutory requirements regarding membership registers and candidate nominations.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this clarification on Tuesday in Abuja during a World Press Conference on preparations for the upcoming elections. The Supreme Court's ruling on September 24 restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which outline the requirements for political party membership and candidate nomination procedures.

The court distinguished between a party's eligibility to field candidates and the personal qualifications of individual candidates. Amupitan noted that INEC is reviewing the implications of the judgment, which has raised concerns among political parties and aspirants regarding their nominations and membership status.