POLITICS
APC Asks INEC to Enforce Supreme Court Judgment on Party Membership Registers
APC Asks INEC to Enforce Supreme Court Judgment on Party Membership Registers
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APC urges INEC to enforce the Supreme Court judgment on political parties’ membership registers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Electoral Act requires parties to submit their membership registers at least 21 days before primaries, congresses and conventions.
The party says defaulting parties could be barred from fielding candidates in the general elections, as provided by law.
APC warns that failure to enforce the judgment could undermine internal party democracy, electoral transparency and the rule of law.
Channel
October 9, () – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce the Supreme Court judgment on political parties’ membership registers, warning that parties that fail to comply with the statutory requirements could be barred from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The ruling party, in a letter dated October 9 and signed by its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Basiru, urged INEC to verify whether all political parties had submitted their digital membership registers within the period prescribed by law and apply the relevant legal consequences for non-compliance.
The APC said enforcement of the judgment was a statutory obligation and not a matter of discretion, insisting that political parties must comply with Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which regulates membership registers and participation in party primaries, congresses and conventions.
It specifically called on INEC to apply the provisions of Section 77(7), which, according to the party’s interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment, could prevent a political party that failed to submit its membership register within the stipulated period from fielding candidates in the general elections.
The party also urged the commission to ensure that only members whose names appear on the registers submitted to it are allowed to vote or be voted for in internal party elections.
Supreme Court of Nigeria
reports that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24 in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Suit No. SC/CV/495/2026.
The judgment affirmed Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 and set aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision that declared Sections 77(5) to (7) and 84(2) of the Act, as well as Activity Serial Number Two of INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, unconstitutional.
In its letter, the APC said the apex court had clarified the mandatory nature of the statutory provisions and the consequences political parties could face for failing to comply with them.
Citing Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, the party noted that every political party was required to make its membership register available to INEC not later than 21 days before the scheduled date of its primaries, congresses or conventions.
It added that Section 77(5) stipulated that only members whose names appeared in the submitted register were eligible to vote and be voted for in party primaries, congresses and conventions.
Section 77(6), the party said, prohibited political parties from using any membership register other than the one submitted to INEC.
According to the APC, the Supreme Court, at page 24 of its judgment, explained that the practical legal effect of Section 77(7) was that a party that failed to submit its digital membership register within the prescribed period might be precluded from fielding candidates in the general elections.
The party said the court’s interpretation reinforced the mandatory character of the law and underscored the consequences of non-compliance.
“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 letter stated.
The APC further noted that the Supreme Court relied on Section 228(a) of the Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to make laws regulating political parties, including provisions intended to promote internal party democracy.
It also cited the apex court’s earlier decision in Ardo v. Nyako (2014) 10 NWLR (Pt. 1416) 591, arguing that political parties’ authority to nominate candidates must be exercised in accordance with the law.
“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.
The ruling party also drew attention to page 34 of the judgment, where the Supreme Court reportedly observed that INEC had given political parties sufficient time to submit their membership registers.
It argued that there was consequently no justifiable reason for any party to disregard the deadline prescribed by law.
“Therefore, there is no justifiable reason for any political party to breach the deadline imposed by law,” the APC stated.
A ballot box bearing the logo of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Photo Credit INECFile Photo
The party maintained that INEC, having been the appellant in the case, was bound by the Supreme Court’s judgment and had a responsibility to ensure its implementation.
It cited Section 287(1) of the Constitution, which provides that decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced throughout the federation by all authorities and persons, as well as courts subordinate to the apex court.
“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 party said.
The APC warned that allowing political parties to disregard the statutory requirements without applying the consequences stipulated by law could undermine internal party democracy, weaken electoral transparency and erode respect for the rule of law.
It therefore urged INEC to verify the membership registers submitted by all political parties, ensure compliance with the statutory deadline and enforce the restrictions governing participation in party primaries, congresses and conventions.
The party said the commission should also apply the relevant legal consequences to any party found to have violated the provisions, including the possible exclusion of defaulting parties from fielding candidates where required by law.
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