APC Presses INEC to Enforce Supreme Court Verdict on Party Registers

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce a Supreme Court judgment on political parties’ membership registers, warning that failure to comply with the law could lead to parties being barred from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The party made the call in a four-page letter dated October 9, 2026, addressed to the INEC chairman and titled “Request for Immediate Enforcement of the Supreme Court Judgment in INEC v Zenith Labour Party on Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026”.

The letter, signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, asked the commission to implement the judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in suit number SC/CV/495/2026.

The Supreme Court ruling set aside a Court of Appeal order that had nullified Sections 77(5) to 77(7) and Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, alongside a provision in INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 general elections.

The APC said Section 77(4) requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before their primaries, congresses or conventions.

It added that Sections 77(5) and 77(6) restrict voting and eligibility to contest internal party elections to members listed in the register submitted to the commission, while prohibiting parties from using alternative registers.

“The practical legal effect of section 77(7) of the Act is that a political party that fails to submit its digital membership register within the prescribed period may be precluded from fielding candidates in the general election,” the party stated in the letter, citing the Supreme Court’s reasoning on page 24 of the judgment.

The APC argued that the ruling made compliance with the statutory provisions mandatory, adding that the law was designed to promote transparency and internal democracy in political parties.

It also cited Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides that Supreme Court decisions must be enforced throughout the federation by all authorities, persons and subordinate courts.

“The decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court,” the letter quoted the constitutional provision as stating.

The party further argued that INEC was directly bound by the judgment because it was a party to the suit.

It therefore asked the commission to verify whether each political party had submitted its digital membership register within the statutory deadline and apply the consequences prescribed by law where violations were established.

The APC also urged INEC to ensure that only members listed in the duly submitted registers were recognised as eligible to vote and be voted for during party primaries, congresses and conventions.

“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 letter warned that allowing political parties to disregard the requirements without consequences would undermine internal party democracy, electoral transparency and the rule of law.

It called on INEC to act promptly and decisively to give effect to the judgment ahead of the 2027 elections.

The letter was signed by Yilwatda and Basiru and addressed to the INEC chairman at the commission’s headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.