Reps Panel Urges INEC to Audit, Disqualify 2027 Candidates Missing From Party Registers

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to audit candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 general elections and disqualify those whose names are not contained in the membership registers submitted to the commission. The committee's position followed the Supreme Court's recent decision upholding the validity of provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 dealing with political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates. In a letter dated September 30, 2026, and signed by the committee chairman, Bayo Balogun, the lawmakers drew INEC's attention to Sections 77(4) to 77(6) of the Electoral Act and asked the commission to enforce the provisions across registered political parties. The committee's request was reported by The PUNCH on Tuesday, October 6, as preparations for the 2027 elections continue. What the Electoral Act provides At the centre of the dispute is Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026. Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names appear in a political party's membership register submitted to INEC can participate in the party's primaries, congresses and conventions. The law also places restrictions on the use of membership registers during party nomination exercises. Section 77(6) provides that a political party cannot use a membership register other than the one submitted to INEC for its primaries, congresses and conventions. Section 77(7) further provides consequences for a party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period. The provisions became the subject of a legal challenge after the Zenith Labour Party questioned their constitutionality. Supreme Court restored disputed provisions The Supreme Court settled the immediate legal dispute on September 24, 2026, when a seven-member panel upheld INEC's appeal and restored the provisions that had earlier been voided by the Court of Appeal. The apex court held that Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution. The decision overturned the Court of Appeal's July judgment, which had declared the disputed provisions unconstitutional, and restored the earlier Federal High Court decision dismissing the challenge. The Supreme Court also awarded N2m in costs against the Zenith Labour Party. The ruling has since generated questions over how the restored provisions could affect candidates who emerged from party primaries where their membership status, waivers or nomination procedures may not fully align with the requirements of the law. However, the Supreme Court judgment itself did not name or disqualify any individual candidate. Committee wants INEC to act According to the House committee, INEC had previously expressed reservations about enforcing the provisions while the legal challenge was before the courts. Balogun referred to a July 26 response from INEC in which the commission explained that it was cautious about taking administrative steps that could later be affected by a final judicial decision. The committee said that position was understandable while the case remained unresolved. It now argues that the legal uncertainty has been removed by the Supreme Court's judgment and that INEC should proceed with enforcement. The committee therefore asked the electoral commission to examine the candidates submitted by political parties against the membership registers already provided to it. Candidates whose names do not appear in the relevant registers could face disqualification if, after the necessary legal and administrative review, their nominations are found to fall foul of the restored provisions. Some candidates could face scrutiny The Supreme Court ruling has already prompted discussions about several 2027 candidates whose nomination processes could come under scrutiny. TheCable previously identified candidates including former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, Rivers APC governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda, Gombe PDP governorship candidate Isa Pantami and NDC candidates Ovie Omo-Agege and Victor Ochei among those whose nominations could potentially be affected, depending on the circumstances surrounding their party membership and nomination processes. The important point, however, is that inclusion on such a list does not amount to disqualification. Each candidate's situation would have to be assessed against the relevant party's membership register and the requirements governing the nomination process. Some affected politicians and political parties have already rejected suggestions that the Supreme Court judgment automatically invalidates their candidacies. For instance, the Nigeria Democratic Congress has argued that the ruling should not be interpreted as automatically disqualifying its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso or other candidates. Similarly, former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has maintained that he remains the Social Democratic Party's governorship candidate in Nasarawa State despite questions surrounding the impact of the judgment. INEC's role now under scrutiny The committee's intervention places additional attention on INEC as the commission prepares for the 2027 elections. The electoral body had appealed the Court of Appeal judgment precisely because of the implications of the disputed provisions for the administration of party primaries and candidate nominations. With the Supreme Court now having restored the provisions, the committee believes INEC has a clear legal basis to enforce the membership-register requirements. The commission's actual implementation will determine how individual candidates and parties are affected. That process could require examination of party records, membership registers, nomination procedures and the circumstances under which individual candidates emerged from their respective primaries. Senate rules out immediate Electoral Act amendment The development comes shortly after the Senate ruled out an immediate review of the Electoral Act 2026 following the Supreme Court decision. Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu said the National Assembly had completed its electoral reform process and would not alter the law in the middle of preparations for the 2027 election. He said any review or amendment would have to be considered after the election rather than changing the rules while preparations for the poll were already underway. The Senate's position means the Electoral Act 2026, including the provisions restored by the Supreme Court, remains the legal framework governing the relevant aspects of the 2027 electoral process. For now, the House committee's request is a call for INEC to enforce the law, not an announcement that the electoral commission has already disqualified any candidate. Any eventual disqualification would have to follow INEC's assessment of the relevant party records and the applicable provisions of the Electoral Act. The issue is therefore likely to remain significant in the months leading to the 2027 elections as parties and candidates examine their membership records and nomination processes against the requirements restored by the Supreme Court.