morgANABLE politics/elections
The committee specifically asked INEC to conduct an audit of candidates presented by all registered political parties for the 2027 elections.
KaNo—
The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to audit candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 general elections and disqualify those whose names are not contained in the membership registers of the parties that nominated them.
The committee made the demand in a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by its Chairman, Bayo Balogun, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
The lawmakers drew INEC’s attention to Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly subsections 4 to 6, following the Supreme Court’s judgment on the validity and constitutionality of Section 77(5).
The provision states that only members whose names are contained in a political party’s register are eligible to vote or be voted for at the party’s primaries, congresses and conventions.
The committee said the Supreme Court’s decision had fundamentally changed the legal position surrounding the implementation of the provision and removed the uncertainty that had previously affected its enforcement.
Balogun recalled that INEC had previously expressed reservations about enforcing the provision because of pending judicial proceedings challenging its interpretation, constitutionality and enforceability.
He said that in a July 26, 2026 response signed by the Secretary to the Commission, INEC had explained its position in view of the then-pending court proceedings and the need to avoid taking administrative steps that could subsequently be affected by a final judicial determination.
However, the committee chairman said the Supreme Court’s decision had now settled the dispute.
“The legal position has now materially changed,” Balogun said.
He stressed that the Supreme Court, being the apex court in constitutional and electoral matters within its jurisdiction, had settled the dispute surrounding the relevant provisions of Section 77(5).
According to him, the provision was “no longer operating within the uncertainty” that had previously surrounded its implementation.
Balogun therefore urged INEC to enforce the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act without further delay.
He said the commission should “proceed, without further delay, to fully enforce Section 77(4-6) of the Electoral Act, 2026 and ensure that the provisions are given their intended effect in the administration and monitoring of political parties and their electoral activities.”
The committee specifically asked INEC to conduct an audit of candidates presented by all registered political parties for the 2027 elections.
The proposed exercise would involve comparing the names of the candidates with the membership registers earlier submitted to INEC by their respective political parties.
The committee said the audit would determine whether the candidates complied with Section 77(5), particularly the requirement that persons participating in party primaries and emerging as candidates must be members whose names are contained in the relevant party register.
It warned that political parties and candidates found to have violated the provision should face disqualification.
“This will be a litmus test for the Commission and any culpable political party and candidates should be disqualified,” the committee said.
The lawmakers also argued that conducting the audit early would help prevent a fresh wave of post-primary litigation.
According to the committee, disputes over the eligibility of candidates could lead to prolonged legal battles if alleged violations of the Electoral Act were not identified and addressed before the elections.
“If diligently done, it will save the courts from flood of litigations that may arise from irregularities and non-adherence to Section 77(4-6) by political parties and their candidates,” the committee said.
Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026, deals with the internal administration of political parties, including the conduct of primaries, congresses and conventions.
The provision has attracted legal and political attention because of its implications for the participation of party members in the processes through which candidates are selected for elective offices.
The committee’s intervention comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with INEC also continuing preparations for the electoral cycle.
Compliance with statutory requirements governing party membership, primaries and candidate nomination is expected to remain an important issue as parties finalise candidates for the presidential, governorship and National Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the Senate has postponed its two-day National Security Summit earlier scheduled for October 12 and 13 following the death of 25 officers and seven crew members in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the postponement in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the decision was taken in honour of the victims of the crash and in line with the three-day national mourning declared by President Bola Tinubu.
Bamidele said the summit had been postponed until further notice following the crash of the NAF ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.
Senate Postpone National Security Summit
“The Senate has announced the postponement of its two-day National Security Summit scheduled for Monday, 12th and Tuesday, 13th October, 2026, until further notice,” he said.
The Senate had planned the summit to bring together key stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s persistent security challenges and develop practical measures to strengthen the protection of lives and property across the country.
The ad hoc committee had also completed preparations for the summit following the conclusion of zonal public hearings held ahead of the national event.
However, the crash forced the upper chamber to suspend the planned meeting.
The incident claimed the lives of 25 officers and seven crew members, prompting widespread mourning and renewed calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Following the incident, President Tinubu declared three days of national mourning for the deceased officers and crew members and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.
The President also ordered a thorough investigation into the crash to determine its cause.
Bamidele said the Senate considered it appropriate to defer the summit during the period of national mourning as a mark of respect for the military personnel who died in active service.
The Senate also extended condolences to the President, the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly the Nigerian Air Force, and the families of the deceased officers and crew members.
“The Senate also extended its heartfelt condolences to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly the Nigerian Air Force; and the families of the gallant officers and crew members who paid the supreme price in active service to the fatherland,” the statement said.
The Senate Leader said a new date for the summit would be announced later.
He appealed to participants and other stakeholders expected to attend the summit to take note of the national tragedy and bear with the Senate during the period of mourning.
