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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why some political parties and their candidates were omitted from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections, citing a Supreme Court judgment on mandatory membership register submissions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the commission said the exclusions followed the Supreme Court’s decision in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, delivered on September 24, 2026.
The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
According to the commission, political parties that failed to submit their membership registers in line with statutory requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the affected elections.
INEC said it applied the court’s ruling while finalising the governorship candidates’ list.
INEC said the Supreme Court upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which set out requirements for political party membership registers and their submission to the commission.
The provisions had previously been nullified by the Court of Appeal, prompting INEC to challenge that decision before the Supreme Court.
According to INEC, the apex court upheld the constitutionality of the disputed provisions, affirming that political parties must comply with the requirements.
The commission said the ruling provided the legal basis for excluding parties that did not meet the statutory conditions for sponsoring candidates.
Parties Had Until May 10 To Submit Registers
INEC also said the Supreme Court upheld its election timetable, including the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers.
The timetable provided for submissions between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The commission maintained that parties that failed to meet the deadline did not satisfy the statutory requirements for sponsoring candidates in the affected governorship elections.
INEC said the omissions resulted from applying the law following the Supreme Court judgment, rather than an arbitrary administrative decision.
The statement did not identify the political parties or individual candidates affected by the exclusions.
Why Other Candidate Lists Were Published Earlier
The commission explained that the final lists for the presidential and National Assembly elections had already been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
By contrast, INEC said it was finalising the governorship candidates’ list when the apex court delivered its decision on September 24.
The commission cited this difference in timing as part of its explanation for applying the ruling to the governorship list.
October 24 Deadline For Complaints
INEC reminded political parties that they could notify the commission if they believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted from a published list.
It cited Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides a 14-day period from publication for parties to report alleged omissions.
According to the commission, the deadline for submitting notifications is October 24, 2026.
However, filing a complaint does not automatically establish that an omission was unlawful or guarantee that a candidate will be restored to the list. Each complaint must be considered under the applicable legal provisions.
INEC urged political parties to follow the statutory procedure and act within the prescribed period.
INEC Reaffirms Commitment To Electoral Law
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and credible elections.
It said its decisions were guided by the Electoral Act 2026 and the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the disputed provisions.
The clarification places renewed emphasis on political parties’ responsibility to meet statutory requirements before sponsoring candidates in the 2027 elections.
With the October 24 deadline approaching, affected parties have been directed to use the prescribed procedure to raise concerns over alleged omissions.
