The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why some candidates were excluded from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections, citing non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
The commission said the affected political parties failed to comply with provisions requiring them to submit their membership registers before conducting valid party primaries.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, said the decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026.
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The judgment arose from an appeal filed by INEC in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, challenging a Court of Appeal judgment that nullified provisions of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
According to INEC, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the provisions, which make the submission of membership registers mandatory for political parties.
The apex court also upheld Item 2 of INEC’s timetable and schedule of activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
INEC said the Supreme Court further ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the provisions were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the election.
Consequently, the commission said it applied the judgment when finalising the list of governorship candidates, excluding parties that failed to meet the statutory requirements.
It said the decision was taken in accordance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires compliance with decisions of superior courts.
However, INEC noted that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
The commission also drew attention to Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the list must notify INEC within 14 days of publication.
According to the commission, the deadline for such notifications is October 24, 2026.
INEC assured Nigerians of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
