By John Dike, Osogbo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the omission of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship election, citing the failure of their political parties to comply with the mandatory submission of membership registers.
The commission said the decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, which upheld the constitutionality of provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring political parties to submit their membership registers.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission said the apex court affirmed that Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, were constitutional and mandatory for all political parties.
According to INEC, the Supreme Court also upheld Item Two of its timetable and schedule of activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The commission said the court further held that political parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirement were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the election.
INEC explained that it applied the Supreme Court’s decision in accordance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, when finalising the list of governorship candidates, leading to the exclusion of political parties that did not meet the membership register requirement.
The commission, however, noted that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
It said political parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted from the published list could notify the commission in accordance with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC stated that the deadline for submitting such complaints was October 24, 2026, in line with the 14-day period prescribed by law.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, adherence to the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue.
