…Gives parties Oct. 24 deadline for notification of wrong omissions
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the omission of some names from the final list of governorship and House of Assembly candidates released last Friday.
Names of some candidates, notable from opposition political parties, were omitted by the commission, but INEC explained that it was in compliance with the Supreme Court judgement in its appeal against the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 requiring the submission of membership registers as a prerequisite for the conduct of valid party primaries.
INEC, in a statement by Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, noted that the Court upheld the constitutionality of item No. 2 of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities, which mandated political parties to submit their membership registers between 21st April and 10th May, 2026.
“In accordance with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission, while finalising the list of candidates for the governorship election, applied the above decision of the Supreme Court and excluded political parties that failed to comply with Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, in relation to fielding of candidates,” Haruna said.
He added that the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on 12th September, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
Haruna, who is also INEC National Commissioner, however, gave any political party which, under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, believes its candidates were wrongly omitted from the list, 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission. The deadline, according to him, ends on October 24, 2026.
He assured of INEC’s commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
