INEC: Parties’ Failure to Submit Membership Registers Led to Omission of Governorship Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the omission of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections resulted from their political parties’ failure to submit membership registers as required by law.

The commission made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

INEC said the decision followed a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the mandatory requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers under the Electoral Act, 2026.

It explained that the apex court, in the case of *INEC v. Zenith Labour Party*, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, upheld Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, as well as Item 2 of the commission’s election timetable, which stipulated April 21 to May 10, 2026, for submission of the registers.

According to the commission, the court ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the requirement were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.

INEC said it relied on the judgment in preparing the final list of governorship candidates in compliance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires authorities to enforce decisions of superior courts.

The commission, however, clarified that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates were published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment 13 days later.

It advised political parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted to notify the commission within the period stipulated under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

INEC stated that October 24, 2026, was the deadline for such notifications, while reaffirming its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.