INEC Warns Candidates Over Party Registers Ahead of 2027

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned political parties that candidates whose names are not contained in valid party membership registers may be vulnerable under the recently restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The development follows the Supreme Court judgment restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act after they had earlier been struck down by the Court of Appeal.

Those sections regulate party membership registers and recognised procedures for nominating candidates.

INEC has now received the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment and is assessing its implications for political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The issue is potentially far-reaching.

Where a person participated in a primary but is not reflected in the membership register submitted within the applicable statutory framework, questions may arise over whether the nomination complies with the Act.

However, that does not necessarily mean automatic disqualification in every case.

Senior Advocate Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN, has previously argued that while the Supreme Court restored the legal provisions, the validity of individual nominations still depends on the facts, standing of challengers, statutory procedures and applicable pre-election time limits.

That distinction matters because electoral disputes generally require properly instituted judicial proceedings rather than blanket administrative assumptions.

INEC is expected to determine how it will operationalise the judgment after reviewing the certified decision.

For political parties, the immediate lesson is clear: membership documentation, timing and compliance with nomination procedures may become central litigation issues in the run-up to 2027.