Key Takeaways

• The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is reviewing a recent Supreme Court judgment concerning provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
• The ruling concerns sections of the law dealing with eligibility to contest party primaries.
• INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said the commission received the certified true copy of the judgment on Tuesday.
• Political parties, aggrieved aspirants and members of the National Assembly have raised concerns about the possible implications of the ruling.
• INEC has yet to announce its final position on candidates who could be affected by the judgment.

INEC Begins Review Of Supreme Court Judgment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun reviewing a recent Supreme Court judgment that could affect the eligibility of some candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing a press conference on the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the commission had only received the certified true copy of the judgment on Tuesday and was still examining its implications.

He said INEC would take appropriate action and make its position known after completing the review.

Why The Supreme Court Ruling Has Created Uncertainty

The Supreme Court had affirmed the validity of provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning eligibility to contest in party primary elections.

The judgment followed appeals involving the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

According to the information supplied, the ruling has raised questions about the status of some candidates who moved to new political parties after unsuccessful attempts to secure tickets from the parties with which they were originally associated.

The issue has therefore attracted attention ahead of the 2027 elections, with questions surrounding how the judgment could affect nominations that have already generated disputes.

What INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan Said

Amupitan said INEC had received complaints from several political parties, aggrieved aspirants and members of the National Assembly concerning the possible implications of the Supreme Court decision.

He said the complaints specifically drew the commission’s attention to the judgment delivered in the case involving INEC and the Zenith Labour Party on September 24, 2026.

According to Amupitan, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77, subsections 5 to 7 of the Electoral Act 2026 and also upheld INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.

He said:

“We only received the certified true copy of this judgement this morning, and it is being reviewed.”

The INEC chairman added that the commission would determine the appropriate response after studying the judgment.

Candidates Whose Nominations Have Attracted Attention

Several candidates have been mentioned in connection with the uncertainty surrounding the interpretation and application of the ruling.

They include Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State; Ovie Omo-Agege, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial candidate for Delta Central; former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate Donald Duke; and former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker Victor Ochei.

However, the supplied information does not establish that INEC has declared any of these candidates ineligible.

Their cases are among those attracting attention as the electoral commission considers the implications of the Supreme Court judgment.

Why INEC Has Not Announced A Final Position

INEC’s position remains under review because the commission only received the certified true copy of the judgment on Tuesday.

That means the electoral body has not yet completed its assessment of how the Supreme Court’s interpretation should be applied to the concerns raised by political parties, aspirants and lawmakers.

The distinction is important: the existence of questions surrounding candidate eligibility does not, from the information available in the source material, amount to a final decision by INEC on any individual candidate.

What Happens Next

INEC is expected to announce its position after completing its review of the Supreme Court judgment.

The commission’s eventual interpretation will be closely watched because of its potential implications for candidates whose nominations could fall within the scope of the provisions considered by the apex court.

For now, the immediate development is that INEC has received the judgment and is examining its implications, while affected political parties and aspirants await further clarification from the electoral commission.