The Senate has ruled out any immediate review of the Electoral Act 2026 following the Supreme Court judgment restoring provisions governing political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly had completed the electoral reform process and would not alter the law in the middle of preparations for the 2027 elections.
Adaramodu stated this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, while responding to questions on whether lawmakers would revisit the Electoral Act following the Supreme Court judgment and concerns raised by political parties over some of its provisions.
He said, “We have already done the electoral reform and passed that one. It is meant for the 2027 elections. It is only after it that we can consider it for a review if there is any necessity or calls for amendments and rejigging. That’s when it can come up.
“Anybody who has any petition against it should submit to the Senate. But for us at the Senate and National Assembly, we have passed the Electoral Act into law. It has been assented to, and it is now in use.
“As you know, it is through the Electoral Act that parties produced the candidates who will contest in January and February. So, are you now going to shift the goalposts in the middle of the game? Are you going to play a football match in reverse? Do you tell them to walk backwards instead of running forward?
“How do you halt an Electoral Act that is already in use for a new one? We are not going to do that.”
The senator’s position comes days after the Supreme Court restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which had earlier been voided by the Court of Appeal.
The seven-member Supreme Court panel, in a unanimous judgment, set aside the Court of Appeal decision and held that the disputed provisions were not inconsistent with the Constitution.
Sections 77(5)-(7) relate to political parties’ membership registers and participation in primaries, while Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries or consensus as methods of nominating candidates.
The judgment has nevertheless triggered fresh questions about the implications of the restored provisions for candidates whose membership, waivers or nomination processes could come under scrutiny.
However, political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party, Allied People’s Movement, and Labour Party, maintained that their candidates are safe following the September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment on the Electoral Act.
Some affected candidates and political parties have already rejected suggestions that the judgment invalidates their candidacies.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, for instance, dismissed concerns that the judgment could affect the candidacies of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.
Speaking in an earlier exclusive interview with The PUNCH, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the judgment should not be subjected to individual interpretations, arguing that anyone challenging a candidate’s eligibility should approach the courts.
The Supreme Court ruling followed a legal battle over the constitutionality of the disputed provisions. The Court of Appeal had in July declared Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) unconstitutional, prompting INEC to appeal to the apex court.
With the Supreme Court now restoring the provisions and the Senate insisting that the Electoral Act 2026 will govern the 2027 elections, any further amendment would, according to Adaramodu, have to wait until after the poll.
