2027: Reps C’ttee urges INEC to disqualify candidates affected by S’Court ruling
The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to audit the candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 general elections and disqualify those whose names are not contained in the parties’ membership registers submitted to the commission.
The committee made the demand on Tuesday in a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by its Chairman, Mr Bayo Balogun and made available to journalists in Abuja, drawing INEC’s attention to Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly subsections 4 to 6.
The committee said the request became necessary following the Supreme Court’s judgment on the validity and constitutionality of Section 77(5), which provides that only members whose names are contained in a political party’s register are eligible to vote or be voted for at the party’s primaries, congresses and conventions.
Balogun said INEC had “previously expressed reservations about enforcing the provision because of pending judicial proceedings challenging its interpretation, constitutionality and enforceability.”
He recalled that in a July 26, 2026 response signed by the Secretary to the Commission, “INEC explained its position in view of the then-pending court proceedings and the need to avoid taking administrative steps that could subsequently be affected by a final judicial determination.”
However, the committee chairman said the Supreme Court’s decision had fundamentally altered the legal position.
“The legal position has now materially changed,” Balogun said, stressing that the Supreme Court, as the apex court in constitutional and electoral matters within its jurisdiction, had settled the dispute surrounding the relevant provisions of Section 77(5).
According to him, the provision was “no longer operating within the uncertainty” that had previously surrounded its implementation.
He therefore urged INEC to “proceed, without further delay, to fully enforce Section 77(4-6) of the Electoral Act, 2026 and ensure that the provisions are given their intended effect in the administration and monitoring of political parties and their electoral activities.”
The committee specifically asked INEC to conduct an audit of the candidates presented by all registered political parties for the 2027 elections and compare their names with the membership registers earlier submitted to the commission.
It said the exercise should establish whether the candidates complied with Section 77(5), warning that any political party or candidate found to have violated the provision should face disqualification.
“This will be a litmus test for the Commission and any culpable political party and candidates should be disqualified,” the committee said.
The committee argued that an early audit would also help prevent a fresh wave of post-primary litigation, particularly cases challenging the eligibility of candidates on grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
“If diligently done, it will save the courts from flood of litigations that may arise from irregularities and non-adherence to Section 77(4-6) by political parties and their candidates,” it said.
Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026 deals with the internal administration of political parties, including the conduct of party primaries, congresses and conventions. The provision has attracted legal and political attention because of its implications for the eligibility of party members to participate in the processes through which candidates are selected for elective offices.
The committee’s intervention comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections and INEC continues its preparations for the electoral cycle.
Compliance with statutory requirements governing party membership and candidate nomination is expected to remain a major issue as the parties finalise their candidates for the presidential, National Assembly and governorship elections.
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