INEC Clarifies Supreme Court Ruling on Electoral Act 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) clarified that the recent Supreme Court judgment, which restored key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, does not disqualify individual candidates from the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this statement during a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting in Abuja.

The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling on September 24 reinstated Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which had been voided by the Court of Appeal following an appeal by INEC against a legal challenge from the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The ruling clarified that the provisions concerning political party membership registers and candidate nominations are crucial for party eligibility, and a candidate's disqualification cannot be assumed solely based on the restoration of these provisions.

The implications of this ruling are significant for political parties as they prepare for the upcoming elections.