The Supreme Court has upheld an appeal by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) and restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that had earlier been struck down by the Court of Appeal.
The case centred on Sections 77(5) and 84 of the Act, which deal with political party membership records and the process for choosing candidates through party primaries.
A seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro ruled that the provisions do not conflict with the 1999 Constitution. The court therefore set aside the earlier Court of Appeal judgment and restored the decision of the Federal High Court.
The court also awarded ₦2 million in costs against the Zenith Labour Party, which had challenged the provisions.
Separate appeals involving the Social Democratic Party and Youth Party were also dismissed.
What this means for you
The ruling keeps the existing Electoral Act rules on party membership records and candidate primaries in place.
For voters, there is no immediate change to registration or voting. The effect is mainly on political parties, their members and how candidates are selected for elections.
