By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THE INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained that the omission of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship election followed a Supreme Court judgment requiring political parties to comply with statutory rules on membership registers before conducting valid primaries.
Citing a release issued on this development, JKNewsMedia.com reports that the commission said it applied the apex court’s decision when finalising the list of governorship candidates, excluding political parties that failed to meet the requirements of the Electoral Act 2026.
National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Haruna recalled that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, on 24 September 2026.
The case arose from INEC’s appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment that had nullified Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act 2026. The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers as a prerequisite for conducting valid party primaries.
According to Haruna, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the provisions and ruled that they were mandatory for all political parties.
The court also upheld Item No. 2 of INEC’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between 21 April and 10 May 2026.
Haruna said the Supreme Court further ruled that any political party that failed to comply with the requirements would be ineligible to sponsor candidates for the election.
He explained that INEC relied on the judgment while preparing the final list of governorship candidates, in line with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
“In accordance with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Commission, while finalizing the list of candidates for the Governorship election, applied the above decision of the Supreme Court,” he said.
The commission said political parties that failed to comply with Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act 2026 were consequently excluded from fielding candidates in the governorship election.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports Haruna also clarified that INEC had published the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates on 12 September 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
He reminded political parties that Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides a 14-day period from the publication of the candidate list for a party to notify the commission if it believes a candidate was wrongly omitted.
INEC stated that the deadline for such notifications was 24 October 2026 as the national commissioner reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
—
Share Your Story with us!
Advertise with us!
Publicity for a product, service, or event!
Contact: WhatsApp Only: +2348039560647
Email: jkmediapress@gmail.com
