House Committee Directs INEC To Disqualify Candidates Over Electoral Act Breach
Hon. Prince Bayo Balogun The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to audit candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 General Election and disqualify those found to be in breach of Section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2026. The committee, in a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by its Chairman, Hon. Prince Bayo Balogun, urged INEC to enforce the provisions of Section 77(4) to (6), following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality and validity of the provisions. The committee said the Supreme Court judgment had removed the uncertainty that previously surrounded Section 77(5), which provides that only members whose names appear in a political party’s register are eligible to vote or be voted for at party primaries, congresses and conventions. According to the committee, INEC had earlier expressed concerns over judicial pronouncements and pending court proceedings re...