INEC Clarifies Candidate Eligibility Rules After Court Ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that political parties could lose the right to field candidates if those candidates' names are not included in the membership registers submitted to the commission. INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, made this statement during an appearance on Trust TV’s Daily Politics on October 7, 2026.

This announcement comes in light of a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which has raised questions about the eligibility of candidates, including Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State. Chinda registered as an APC member on April 27, 2026, prior to the party’s primary on May 21.

The Rivers APC argues that Chinda's registration meets the necessary requirements. The Supreme Court restored certain sections of the Electoral Act 2026, which impose strict rules on party membership and candidate nominations.

Haruna emphasized that INEC is reviewing candidate records and will not permit parties to circumvent legal requirements by replacing disqualified candidates.