S’Court reserves judgment in ZLP, INEC electoral dispute

The Supreme Court has decided to reserve judgment in a case brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that were declared invalid by the Court of Appeal. The case, SC/CR/495/2026, was filed by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) against the disputed sections of the Electoral Act, which they claimed were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

The Court of Appeal, in a ruling on July 16, 2026, allowed the appeal and voided the contentious sections. These provisions concern the requirements for political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates through direct primaries or consensus. INEC approached the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal's decision, arguing that the judgment should be overturned, as it interferes with the internal affairs of political parties.

The Supreme Court, which consists of a seven-man panel presided over by Justice Adamu Jauro, will now determine whether the Court of Appeal's decision was correct or if the disputed sections of the Electoral Act should remain in place. The ruling will have significant implications for the regulation of political parties, the maintenance and submission of membership registers, and the conduct of party primaries leading up to the 2027 general elections.