INEC Sets October 24 Deadline for Parties to Submit Omitted Candidates
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to report candidates wrongly omitted from the final list for the 2027 elections.
The commission announced the deadline after a Supreme Court ruling on party membership registers. The ruling says political parties must meet the legal requirements for submitting their registers before they can sponsor candidates.
INEC said it applied the court’s decision when preparing the final list of governorship candidates.
Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, announced the decision in a statement.
Supreme Court ruling affects political parties
The case, known as INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, was decided by the Supreme Court on September 24, 2026.
The dispute followed an earlier Court of Appeal decision. That ruling had nullified parts of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires political parties to submit their membership registers.
However, the Supreme Court overturned that decision. It ruled that the requirements under Section 77(5)–(7) are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties.
As a result, parties that failed to submit their registers may be barred from sponsoring candidates in the affected election.
INEC said it followed the Supreme Court’s decision in line with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
INEC explains the October 24 deadline
INEC said political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly excluded can notify the commission within 14 days of the list’s publication.
Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, the deadline for submitting such complaints is October 24, 2026.
The commission urged affected parties to act before the deadline. This gives them an opportunity to report any omission they believe was made incorrectly.
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INEC also explained that it had already published the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates on September 12, 2026.
That publication came 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.
INEC promises transparency in the 2027 elections
The commission said it remains committed to transparency and the rule of law. It also pledged to protect the credibility of the electoral process.
The deadline gives political parties a limited period to raise concerns about candidates omitted from the relevant list.
INEC urged parties to follow the legal process and submit their complaints within the stated period.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the Supreme Court ruling highlights the importance of complying with electoral laws and meeting INEC’s requirements.
