Ajulo urges parties to comply with Electoral Act after Supreme Court ruling

By Boye Oyeyemi

Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, has urged political parties and aspirants to comply with the Electoral Act 2026 following the Supreme Court’s validation of key provisions on party membership registers and candidate nomination.

Ajulo made the call in a legal commentary on the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment, which upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The seven-member panel, in a unanimous decision led by Justice Adamu Jauro, allowed the appeal filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission and set aside the Court of Appeal judgment that had earlier voided the disputed provisions.

The apex court consequently restored the Federal High Court judgment that dismissed the constitutional challenge filed by the Zenith Labour Party and awarded N2 million in costs against the party.

Ajulo said the restored provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the prescribed period and use the submitted registers for primaries, congresses and conventions. Under Section 77(7), a party that fails to submit its register within the stipulated period is not eligible to field candidates, rather than individual party members being automatically disqualified.

He added that the Supreme Court had also affirmed Section 84(2), which provides for direct primaries or consensus as methods of nominating candidates by political parties, stressing that party autonomy must operate within the framework of the constitution and applicable laws.

Consequently, the senior lawyer urged political parties to review their membership registers, congress and convention arrangements, nomination procedures and electoral timetables ahead of the 2027 general elections. He also called on INEC to clearly communicate applicable requirements and deadlines to parties while ensuring that the commission operates within its statutory powers.

“The Supreme Court has spoken. Let us now allow the law to do its work,” Ajulo said, urging parties and aspirants to address possible areas of non-compliance before electoral contests rather than wait for disputes to reach the courts.