Reps Panel Asks INEC To Disqualify Candidates Missing From Party Registers

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify candidates whose names are not contained in the membership registers of the political parties that nominated them.

Naija News reports that the committee made the demand in a letter to INEC, urging the commission to enforce the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 following a recent Supreme Court judgment.

The letter, signed by the committee chairman, Bayo Balogun, specifically referenced Section 77 of the Act and called on all registered political parties to comply ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The committee’s directive followed last month’s Supreme Court judgment, which restored provisions of the Electoral Act dealing with political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates.

Balogun recalled that INEC, in a July 26, 2026 position, expressed concerns about court decisions and pending litigation over the interpretation and enforcement of Section 77.

He said the commission’s position was understandable at the time because it sought to avoid taking administrative measures that could later be affected by a final judicial pronouncement.

However, the lawmaker said the situation had changed following the apex court’s judgment.

According to him, the Supreme Court’s decision had removed the uncertainty surrounding the disputed provisions and cleared the way for their implementation.

Balogun urged INEC to audit candidates submitted by all political parties for the 2027 elections.

He said the commission should verify that candidates’ names appeared on the membership registers previously submitted to INEC, in accordance with Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act.

The committee chairman said strict enforcement of the law would also help prevent a possible wave of litigation arising from parties and candidates failing to comply with the statutory requirements.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court had, in September, upheld INEC’s appeal and restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the apex court held that the provisions struck down by the Court of Appeal were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

The Supreme Court consequently set aside the Court of Appeal’s judgment and restored the decision of the Federal High Court, which had dismissed a suit filed by the Zenith Labour Party challenging the provisions.

Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names appear on a political party’s membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention can participate in the exercise.

Section 77(6) bars political parties from using any membership register other than the one submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions.

Under Section 77(7), a political party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period cannot sponsor a candidate in an election.

Meanwhile, Section 84(2) provides that political parties are to nominate candidates for elective positions through direct primaries or consensus.