INEC Speaks on Disqualifying Chinda, Others After Supreme Court Judgement

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties that candidates who participated in party primaries without having their names recorded in the membership registers submitted to the commission could be prevented from contesting the 2027 general elections.

According to a report by The Daily Trust on Thursday, October 8, 2026, INEC also indicated that affected political parties would not be allowed to replace candidates found to have breached the requirement.

The commission’s position follows a judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutional validity of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The apex court also affirmed INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections, further strengthening the commission’s position on compliance with the electoral law.

INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the commission’s position while appearing on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday evening.

Haruna explained that political parties should not be allowed to benefit from actions that contravene provisions of the law.

He argued that permitting a party to replace a candidate who was initially ineligible would effectively reward the party for disregarding the statutory requirement.

The commissioner referred to previous controversies involving electoral candidates in Zamfara and Plateau states, noting that similar issues had arisen in those cases.

“You remember cases that we had of some in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? The same thing,” Haruna said, stressing that allowing substitutions in such circumstances could amount to benefiting from an electoral violation.

He further explained that the implications of the Supreme Court judgment could extend beyond presidential or governorship contests and affect candidates seeking elective positions at various levels.

According to Haruna, INEC is reviewing candidates from governorship races through to contests for seats in state Houses of Assembly to determine compliance with the membership-register requirement.

He noted that where a candidate’s name was absent from the membership register submitted by the relevant political party, the individual could face questions over whether they qualified as a genuine member of the party when seeking its ticket.

The development could have significant consequences for some political parties, particularly those whose candidates may not have been properly reflected in the registers submitted to the electoral commission.

“Some parties may not be able to finish with even governorship candidates,” Haruna said, indicating that INEC was still examining the extent of the possible impact.

The commissioner also disclosed that the electoral body was yet to issue its final interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling at the time of the interview. He said INEC expected to provide clearer guidance by Tuesday of the following week.

Haruna explained that the commission had received the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment on Tuesday and was consulting its legal advisers before making a definitive pronouncement.

He said the commission was proceeding carefully because of concerns over the circulation of documents falsely presented as court judgments. According to him, there have previously been cases in which purported Supreme Court decisions were forged, making it necessary for INEC to rely only on authenticated documents.

Beyond the legal implications of the ruling, Haruna also raised concerns about the security environment ahead of the 2027 election campaign.

He stressed that politicians, candidates and their supporters must be able to participate in campaign activities without facing intimidation, threats or violence.

“Nobody should be threatened at all,” Haruna said, adding that ensuring a safe political environment should be regarded as a responsibility shared by all political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress.