Supreme Court Verdict: Aggrieved APC Govs Weigh Options As INEC Set To Release Candidates List

Strong indications have emerged that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) may review the list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, following the recent Supreme Court judgment restoring key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

This comes as the electoral umpire is set to publish an updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections following the apex courts verdict.

Meanwhile, the electoral commission is expected to state its position on Supreme Court Verdict and other matters surrounding the 2027 election on Tuesday as a press conference.

INEC had told LEADERSHIP that it was reviewing the Apex Court judgement on the Electoral Act before unveiling the candidates’ list.

The Supreme Court on September 24, 2026, unanimously restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, provisions dealing with political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates.

The judgment followed an appeal by INEC against an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified the provisions. The apex court held that the disputed provisions were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

The ruling has generated fresh questions over the status of some party primaries and nominations conducted while the affected provisions were not in force.

It was learnt that new legal challenges could emerge, although the Supreme Court judgment did not automatically invalidate nominations already concluded.

INEC had already released candidate lists for the 2027 elections and maintains an official page for amended candidate lists arising from court orders.

The Commission’s official timetable provides for the publication of the final list of candidates for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly final list is scheduled for October 6, 2026.

The expected review could therefore affect candidates whose nominations are found to be inconsistent with the requirements restored by the Supreme Court.

However, until INEC officially publishes an amended list or issues a formal statement, specific candidates should not be described as removed or disqualified.

The seven-member panel, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act, reaffirming INEC’s powers over party membership registers and candidate nomination.

Although the commission has yet to issue an official statement, sources within INEC said candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their parties before the primaries could be affected by the judgment.

It was also gathered that validly nominated candidates who are original me.bers of the sponsoring political parties are already applying for Certified True Copies of their membership registers to verify whether the names of their pote tial opponents who joined parties after primaries were included before the statutory deadline.

The Supreme Court overturned an earlier Court of Appeal decision which had nullified the provisions on the grounds that they were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

The judgment has raised fresh concerns among some aspirants who lost the All Progressives Congress primaries for National Assembly seats, particularly those who subsequently defected to other political parties and emerged as candidates on their new platforms.

Some of the affected aspirants are already in court challenging the outcome of the APC primaries, while others have secured tickets to contest the 2027 elections on the platforms of other parties.

Among those whose political camps could be affected are aspirants associated with the governors of Benue and Ondo states, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, respectively.

In Ondo State, the development has generated fresh speculations over the political future of some former APC aspirants who have since joined other parties.

Hon Matthew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, who lost the APC primary for the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency, and Prince Idowu Mafimisebi subsequently joined the Peoples Democratic Party.

Oyerinmade emerged as the PDP candidate for Ondo South Senatorial District, while Mafimisebi emerged as the party’s candidate for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

There have also been allegations that some political appointees of Governor Aiyedatiwa were present when the two politicians formally joined the PDP.

The governor has, however, denied allegations of involvement in anti-party activities.

Another former APC aspirant, Hon Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, is contesting the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party after leaving the APC.

Adefisoye was among the aspirants disqualified from participating in the APC primary.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court judgment has also renewed speculations about the relationship between Governor Aiyedatiwa and candidates of the African Democratic Congress in the state.

The governor was recently accused by political opponents of supporting the ADC candidate for Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, popularly known as Allover, against the APC candidate, Senator Niyi Adegbonmire, SAN.

Aiyedatiwa, through his Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, denied the allegation after photographs of the governor and Akinyelure at the State Government House Chapel circulated on social media.

The governor has also publicly campaigned for APC candidates.

At a political rally in Idanre last Monday attended by the APC candidate for the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency, Hon Festus Akingbaso, popularly known as Fessywest, and the party’s candidate for Ondo Central Senatorial District, Adegbonmire, Aiyedatiwa urged APC members to vote for the party from “top to bottom.”

However, a chieftain of the party, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the Supreme Court judgment had unsettled the Ondo governor’s camp.

The chieftain alleged that some supporters of the governor were considering backing ADC candidates in the National Assembly elections.

He said, “You know that INEC’s deadline for the submission of membership registers by all political parties was May 10. As of May 30, many of these sponsored candidates were still in the APC.

“So, if INEC insists on enforcing the Supreme Court judgment, there is no way they will not be affected. They cannot escape it. That is why we the supporters of Aiyedatiwa are not pleased with the judgment.

“One of the options on our table is to support the ADC candidates for the National Assembly since we have already made up their minds to work against some APC National Assembly candidates for obvious reasons.”