By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has given political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the final list for the 2027 governorship election until 24th October, 2026 to notify it.
The deadline follows a Supreme Court ruling that bars parties which failed to submit membership registers from sponsoring candidates.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said in a statement in the wee hours of Tuesday said the Commission applied the apex court’s decision in finalising the governorship list.
“The Commission, while finalizing the list of candidates for the Governorship election applied the above decision of the Supreme Court and excluded political parties that failed to comply with Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, in relation to fielding of candidates,” Haruna said.
The judgement, in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, was delivered on 24th September, 2026. It arose from INEC’s appeal against a Court of Appeal decision which “nullified the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 requiring the submission of membership registers as a prerequisite for the conduct of valid party primaries.”
The Supreme Court overturned that position. It held that the provisions “are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties.”
The Court also upheld the constitutionality of Item No. 2 of INEC’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between 21st April and 10th May, 2026.
According to the statement, “failure to comply with the provisions of Section 77 (5)-(7), renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election.”
Haruna said the Commission acted “in accordance with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
He noted that the final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates “had already been published on 12th September, 2026, thirteen days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgement.”
On the window for complaints, the statement said: “Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the Commission. The deadline is 24th October, 2026.
“The Commission assures the public of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.”
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