2027: INEC Speaks On Supreme Court Judgement Affecting Candidates, Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is reviewing the recent Supreme Court judgment on some provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that could affect the eligibility of some candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The position of the electoral umpire was revealed on Tuesday by its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, while addressing a press conference on the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

Naija News recalls that the Supreme Court had last week, affirmed the validity of sections 77 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026 (as amended) on eligibility to contest in primary elections based on appeals by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The apex court judgment has created fresh uncertainty about the status of some candidates who crossed over to new parties after their attempts to secure tickets from the parties they were originally associated with failed.

However, speaking on Tuesday, Amupitan disclosed that INEC just received the certified true copy of the judgment on Tuesday and is still reviewing it.

He said appropriate action will be taken and announced once the review is concluded.

The INEC Chairman also acknowledged that the commission had received complaints from political parties, aggrieved aspirants and members of the National Assembly concerning the implications of the Supreme Court judgment.

He said, “We have recently received complaints from some political parties, and aggrieved aspirants, and even from the National Assembly, drawing our attention to the recent Supreme Court decision in INEC and Zenith Labour Party, delivered on the 24th day of September, 2026, affirming the constitutionality of Section 77, subsections 5 to 7 of the Electoral Act, 2026, and also upholding our revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.

“We only received the certified true copy of this judgement this morning, and it is being reviewed.”

Among those whose nominations have attracted attention are Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kingsley Chinda; Delta Central senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Ovie Omo-Agege; former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke; and former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Victor Ochei, and others.

INEC is expected to make its stand known on the eligibility of such candidates to participate in the 2027 elections based on the Supreme Court ruling once the review process is concluded.