Reps Want INEC to Disqualify Candidates Not on Party Registers for 2027 Elections

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check party membership lists. They want INEC to disqualify any candidates for the 2027 elections whose names do not appear in these lists, as required by the Electoral Act 2026.

On Tuesday, the committee's Chairman, Bayo Balogun, pointed out the Supreme Court’s ruling on sections 77(5), 77(6), and 77(7). He called for full enforcement of this ruling across all political parties.

Balogun mentioned that the ongoing legal cases about these sections are over due to the Supreme Court’s decision. He highlighted that the court restored these provisions after cancelling a previous judgement from the Court of Appeal that had ruled them unconstitutional.

According to him, the Supreme Court decided that these provisions are not against the 1999 Constitution.

He explained that Section 77(5) states that only members whose names are on the register submitted to INEC can vote or be voted for during party primaries, congresses, and conventions. He added that Section 77(6) says political parties must use this register for such events.

Balogun urged INEC to take action quickly to enforce Sections 77(4) to 77(6) when managing and monitoring political parties and their activities.

The legislator said the audit should check if the names of candidates submitted by the parties are indeed on the membership lists already given to INEC, in line with Section 77(5).

"This will be a litmus test for the commission; any political party and candidates who break this rule should be disqualified.

"Careful enforcement of this provision will help avoid disputes and lessen the number of lawsuits that could come from claims of irregularities or failure to follow Sections 77(4) to 77(6) of the Electoral Act," he said.