Politics
APC Asks INEC to Bar Parties Over Membership Register Breaches Ahead of 2027
The ruling party wants INEC to enforce the Supreme Court’s judgment on digital membership registers and apply the statutory consequences to non-compliant parties.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent political parties that fail to comply with statutory membership register requirements from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The ruling party made the request in a letter dated Friday, October 9, 2026, addressed to INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan. The letter was signed by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru.
The APC urged the electoral commission to enforce the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which upheld disputed provisions of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political parties’ membership registers and internal elections.
Under Section 77(4), political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before their scheduled primaries, congresses or conventions.
Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names appear on the submitted register are eligible to vote or be voted for during those internal party processes. Section 77(6) prohibits parties from using a different register for the same purposes.
In its letter, the APC asked INEC to verify whether each political party had met the statutory deadline and to apply the legal consequences of any established breach.
The party argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirmed the mandatory nature of the requirements and their importance in promoting internal democracy, transparency and accountability in the selection of candidates.
The judgment set aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had declared Sections 77(5) to (7) and Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 unconstitutional. The Supreme Court’s decision restored the disputed provisions.
The APC also cited Section 228(a) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers the National Assembly to make laws prescribing guidelines and rules to ensure internal democracy within political parties, including the conduct of primaries, congresses and conventions.
According to the party, the legal consequences under Section 77(7) could include preventing a non-compliant party from fielding candidates in the general election, where the statutory conditions for that consequence have been established.
The request places renewed focus on the compliance obligations facing political parties as they prepare for the 2027 elections. INEC’s verification of membership registers and the application of the relevant legal provisions will be important in determining whether any party is affected.
The APC’s letter represents its request for enforcement; it does not establish that INEC has already found any political party in breach or barred a party from contesting the elections.