By David Oluwatosin
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the exclusion of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections, citing a Supreme Court judgment that upheld mandatory requirements for political parties to submit their membership registers before conducting valid primaries.
The commission also gave political parties until October 24, 2026, to notify it of any omissions or errors involving their candidates on the published lists.
In a statement issued on October 13, 2026, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, delivered on September 24, 2026.
According to INEC, the apex court overturned an earlier Court of Appeal judgment that had nullified Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission as a prerequisite for conducting valid primaries and sponsoring candidates for elections.
INEC said the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality and mandatory nature of the provisions, while also upholding Item No. 2 of its timetable, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
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The court further held that political parties that failed to comply with the requirement would be ineligible to sponsor candidates, the commission stated.
INEC explained that, in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, it applied the ruling when preparing the final list of governorship candidates.
Consequently, parties that failed to meet the membership-register submission requirement were excluded from sponsoring candidates in the affected elections.
The commission’s explanation comes amid concerns over the absence of some candidates from the final list ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC also clarified that the final lists for the presidential and National Assembly elections had been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.
The commission reminded political parties that Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides a 14-day window for parties to notify it if they believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from a published list.
Based on the October 10 publication date indicated for the relevant governorship list, INEC set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for such notifications.
The commission urged parties with complaints about omissions to act within the stipulated period.
The development highlights the legal and procedural requirements political parties must satisfy to participate in the 2027 elections, particularly compliance with rules governing party membership registers and candidate nomination
