The All Progressives Congress has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to enforce the Supreme Court judgment of 24 September 2026 in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, and to verify whether every political party has complied with the membership register requirements in Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
In a letter dated 9 October 2026 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, the party asked the commission to give immediate effect to the judgment in Suit No. SC/CV/495/2026. The letter was co signed by the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru. The request was made public on Friday in a press statement issued in Abuja and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, CON.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, set aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified Sections 77(5) to 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, together with Activity Serial Number Two of INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election. The apex court restored the judgment of the Federal High Court, which had dismissed the challenge brought by the Zenith Labour Party, and held that the provisions were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
Under the restored provisions, each political party must make its membership register available to INEC not later than 21 days before the date fixed for its primaries, congresses or conventions. Only persons whose names appear on that submitted register are eligible to vote and to be voted for in those internal processes. A party may not rely on any other register. A party that fails to submit its register within the prescribed period is not eligible to field a candidate.
The APC asked INEC to confirm whether each party submitted its digital membership register within the statutory period, to ensure that only members on the submitted register take part in primaries, congresses and conventions, and to apply the consequences in Section 77(7) wherever a breach is established. Those consequences include barring a defaulting party from presenting candidates at the general election. The party said the commission should act without fear or favour.
The request comes as parties prepare their internal processes ahead of the 2027 general election. In the statement, the APC said credible elections depend on transparent internal democratic processes and strict adherence to the rule of law, and it urged INEC to act promptly so that the integrity of the electoral process is upheld.
INEC has already received a certified true copy of the judgment. Professor Amupitan disclosed the receipt at a world press briefing in Abuja earlier in the week. The commission had not, at the time of the APC statement, announced any enforcement steps against individual parties.
A.Ikechukwu
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