Court Of Appeal Strikes Down Electoral Act 2026 Party Primary Rules
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday struck down key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that regulate how political parties compile membership registers and nominate candidat...
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Sat, 18 July 2026 · 1 min read
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday struck down key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that regulate how political parties compile membership registers and nominate candidates, Premium Times Nigeria reported. A three-member panel voided Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Act, holding they were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
The judgment, delivered unanimously, followed an appeal against provisions that had expanded the regulatory powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over party primaries and membership lists. Punch, Vanguard, TheWill and other Nigerian outlets reported the same outcome.
## What The Electoral Act 2026 Ruling Means For INEC And 2027
By nullifying the sections, the appellate court restored what it described as the constitutional autonomy of political parties to determine their membership registers and candidate nomination processes without statutory restriction. The Nigeria Lawyer reported that analysts said no act of the National Assembly can add to the constitutional framework governing party affairs.
The decision lands barely a year before Nigeria's 2027 general elections and is expected to redraw the legal boundary between INEC's oversight and parties' internal operations. The respondents and the Attorney-General were given leave to seek clarification, according to the reports.
The ruling echoes a recurring theme across African democracies — the balance between electoral-commission regulation and party autonomy — and could inform comparable disputes ahead of 2027 polls on the continent.
Source: Premium Times Nigeria, 17 July 2026; BBC Pidgin, 17 July 2026.