Supreme Court Upholds INEC's Authority Over Electoral Act

On September 24, 2026, the Supreme Court delivered a judgment affirming the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding political parties’ membership registers and candidate nominations, thereby setting aside a contrary ruling from the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. The apex court upheld the validity of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, ruling that these provisions are consistent with the 1999 Constitution.

This judgment followed an appeal by INEC against a July 16, 2026, Court of Appeal decision that had voided certain provisions of the Electoral Act. Both the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) refrained from commenting on the ruling, stating they would wait for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.

PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, and APC's National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, emphasized their need for the CTC before making any official statements. INEC's National Commissioner, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, indicated that the Commission had not yet convened to discuss the implications of the ruling.