The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to audit party membership registers. This move aims to disqualify candidates in the 2027 elections whose names are not in their parties' registers, as mandated by the Electoral Act 2026. Committee Chairman Rep. Bayo Balogun made this appeal in a statement on Tuesday.
Rep. Balogun drew INEC's attention to a Supreme Court ruling on sections 77(5), 77(6), and 77(7) of the Electoral Act. The ruling, which was given on September 24, restored provisions that had previously been set aside by a Court of Appeal judgment. According to the Supreme Court, these provisions are not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act states that only members whose names are in the party's membership register submitted to INEC are eligible to vote or be voted for at party primaries, congresses, and conventions. Section 77(6) requires parties to use the register submitted to INEC for these exercises. Rep. Balogun urged INEC to enforce these sections in monitoring political parties and their electoral activities.
The committee chairman emphasized that an audit of party membership registers is necessary to establish whether the names of candidates submitted by parties are contained in the registers earlier submitted to INEC. He noted that any culpable party or candidate should be disqualified. This move aims to prevent disputes and reduce litigation arising from alleged irregularities or non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
According to Rep. Balogun, diligent enforcement of the provisions will help prevent disputes and reduce the volume of litigation that could arise from alleged irregularities or non-compliance with Sections 77(4) to 77(6) of the Electoral Act. The committee's move is seen as an effort to ensure the integrity of the electoral process in Nigeria.
The Supreme Court's judgment on September 24 restored the provisions after setting aside the Court of Appeal judgment that had declared them unconstitutional. With this ruling, political parties and INEC are expected to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act. The ruling has implications for the 2027 elections, as it seeks to ensure that only eligible candidates participate.
The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters is pushing for full enforcement of the Electoral Act. Key to this is the requirement that candidates' names must be in their parties' registers submitted to INEC. Three key points underpin this move: ensuring electoral integrity, preventing disputes, and complying with the Supreme Court's ruling on the Electoral Act.
Key points
- The committee urges INEC to audit party membership registers.
- Candidates not in party registers may be disqualified.
- The move aims to prevent disputes and reduce litigation.
