The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to audit the candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 general elections and disqualify those whose names are not contained in their respective party membership registers.
The committee made the call in a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by its Chairman, Bayo Balogun, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
It urged INEC to enforce the provisions of Section 77(4) to (6) of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the requirement that only registered members of a political party can participate in its primaries, congresses and conventions.
The committee’s position followed the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on the validity and constitutionality of Section 77(5), which provides that only members whose names appear in a political party’s register are eligible to vote or contest in the party’s internal elections.
Balogun recalled that INEC had previously expressed reservations about enforcing the provision because of pending legal challenges to its interpretation and constitutionality.
He cited a July 26, 2026 response from the electoral commission, signed by its Secretary, in which INEC explained that it was awaiting the outcome of the judicial proceedings before taking administrative steps that could later be affected by a final court ruling.
However, the committee chairman said the Supreme Court’s decision had now settled the legal uncertainty surrounding the provision.
According to him, the apex court’s judgment has materially altered the legal position and paved the way for INEC to fully enforce Section 77(4) to (6).
The committee consequently urged the commission to act without further delay and ensure that the provisions are strictly applied in the administration and monitoring of political parties and their electoral activities.
Specifically, the lawmakers asked INEC to audit the lists of candidates submitted by all registered political parties for the 2027 elections and cross-check their names against the membership registers previously submitted to the commission.
The exercise, they said, would determine whether candidates satisfied the requirements of Section 77(5).
The committee warned that any political party or candidate found to have breached the provision should be disqualified.
“This will be a litmus test for the Commission and any culpable political party and candidates should be disqualified,” the committee said.
It further argued that carrying out the audit before the elections would help reduce post-primary litigation, particularly suits challenging candidates’ eligibility over alleged violations of the Electoral Act.
“If diligently done, it will save the courts from flood of litigations that may arise from irregularities and non-adherence to Section 77(4-6) by political parties and their candidates,” it stated.
Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026 governs aspects of the internal administration of political parties, including the conduct of primaries, congresses and conventions.
The provision has become a major issue in the political process ahead of the 2027 elections, with its membership-register requirement potentially affecting the eligibility of candidates who participated in party selection processes.
