INEC Eligibility: What Supreme Court Ruling Means For Candidates, Parties Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Supreme Court’s recent judgment on political party membership registers raised fresh questions about the eligibility of candidates seeking to contest Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), subsequently warned that parties found to have violated the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 will not be allowed to field affected candidates.
In its September 24, 2026, judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the Supreme Court restored four provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and candidate nomination after the Court of Appeal had declared them unconstitutional.
However, the judgment draws a cr...