The Nigerian Senate has ruled out any fresh review of the Electoral Act 2026 before the 2027 general elections, despite renewed concerns over political party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly had completed the legislative process and would not amend the electoral law while political parties were preparing for the forthcoming elections.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Adaramodu explained that any review of the law would only be considered after the 2027 general elections, if there were compelling reasons for amendments.
His comments followed a Supreme Court judgment that overturned an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, which had declared Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision delivered by a seven-member panel, reinstated the provisions governing political party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures.
The apex court also set aside the Court of Appeal's decision nullifying parts of the Independent National Electoral Commission's timetable for the 2027 elections.
The earlier Court of Appeal ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the Zenith Labour Party, which argued that the provisions unlawfully interfered with the internal administration of political parties.
However, the Supreme Court upheld the statutory authority of the Electoral Act to regulate party membership registers and candidate nomination processes.
Explaining the Senate's position, Adaramodu maintained that the electoral reform had already been passed into law and was intended to guide the 2027 elections.
He stated that any review would only be considered after the elections, should the need for amendments arise.
The senator added that individuals or groups with petitions concerning the legislation could submit them to the Senate, but the National Assembly would not reopen the law at this stage.
Adaramodu warned that amending the Electoral Act while political parties were already preparing their candidates could disrupt the electoral process.
He questioned the rationale behind changing the rules in the middle of ongoing preparations, insisting that the existing law would remain in force for the 2027 elections.
The Supreme Court judgment has renewed discussions about enforcing the restored provisions, particularly in cases involving party membership records, waivers and candidate nomination procedures.
Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) regulate political party membership registers, requiring members participating in primaries, congresses and conventions to have their names included in the registers submitted to INEC.
Meanwhile, Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries and consensus as methods political parties can use to nominate candidates for elections.
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