The All Progressives Congress (APC) has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging the electoral body to enforce a Supreme Court judgment on political parties’ membership registers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party called on INEC to ensure strict compliance with the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026, judgment in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Suit No. SC/CV/495/2026, warning that parties that fail to meet the statutory requirements could be barred from fielding candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The letter, dated October 9, 2026, was signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Basiru.
In the letter, the APC urged INEC to verify the digital membership registers submitted by political parties within the time prescribed by law and enforce the relevant provisions of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
The party maintained that political parties must comply with the statutory requirements governing membership registers and the conduct of primaries, congresses and conventions, insisting that the Supreme Court had clarified the legal consequences of non-compliance.
“Section 77(6) bars a party from using any register other than the one submitted to INEC,” the party said.
The APC noted that the Supreme Court had set aside an earlier Court of Appeal judgment declaring Sections 77(5)–(7), Section 84(2), and Activity Serial Number Two of INEC’s revised 2027 election timetable unconstitutional.
According to the party, the Supreme Court’s decision reaffirmed the legal obligations imposed on political parties under Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
The party further cited the court’s explanation on page 24 of the judgment that failure to submit a digital membership register within the stipulated period could prevent a political party from fielding candidates in an election.
“The court said at pages 25 and 26 that the objective of section 77 is to ensure that parties adhere to internal democracy through the fair, transparent and verifiable conduct of primaries, congresses and conventions.”
The APC also quoted the judgment as stating: “The court held that although the power to nominate candidates resides with the parties, the procedure for the nomination is not left to the whims and caprices of party officials,” the letter read in part.
Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC not later than 21 days before their primaries, congresses or conventions.
The APC argued that the deadline was a statutory obligation that political parties could not disregard.
“Therefore, there is no justifiable reason for any political party to breach the deadline imposed by law,” the party stated.
It also invoked Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that “The decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court.”
Reiterating its position, the party said: “As a political party, we insist that compliance with section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 is not a matter of discretion but a statutory obligation whose interpretation has been authoritatively addressed by the Supreme Court.”
The APC warned that failure by INEC to enforce the judgment and apply the consequences of non-compliance could undermine internal party democracy and the legal framework governing the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
