The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will determine the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on some 2027 election candidates after reviewing the certified true copy of the judgment.
According to Vanguard, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission was awaiting the certified document before taking a position on candidates whose nominations could be affected.
Haruna said INEC had applied for the certified true copy and would study the judgment before making any pronouncement. The commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta Messi, also confirmed that the application had been made.
The development has generated uncertainty among political parties and candidates following the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. The provisions concern party membership registers and procedures for conducting primaries and nominating candidates.
The ruling overturned the earlier Court of Appeal decision that had invalidated the disputed provisions. The Supreme Court’s decision has prompted questions over party primaries and nomination processes conducted while the Court of Appeal ruling was still in effect.
INEC has scheduled a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting for Tuesday, October 6, in Abuja to provide updates on preparations for the 2027 elections and engage political parties and other stakeholders.
The commission’s official election timetable schedules the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6, 2027.
Political parties and affected candidates are therefore awaiting INEC’s interpretation of the judgment and its possible implications for the ongoing electoral process.
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