The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it is reviewing the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment affirming its statutory control over political party membership registers under Section 77 of the Electoral Act.
Speaking at a briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, INEC Chairman Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, disclosed that the commission received the official certified copy of the judgment earlier in the day.
He noted that the legal document was immediately handed over to the electoral body’s legal team and is currently undergoing thorough internal review to determine the full regulatory scope and implementation steps.
The apex court decision restores key provisions of Section 77 of the Electoral Act, which require political parties to maintain comprehensive registers of their members and submit soft and hard copies to INEC at least 21 days before conducting primaries, congresses, or conventions. The judgment establishes that only individuals whose names appear on the register submitted to the commission are legally eligible to participate in party nomination exercises.
Professor Amupitan stated that once the ongoing review of the judgment’s certified copy is concluded, the commission will formally communicate its directives to all political parties to ensure strict compliance ahead of upcoming electoral activities.
