The Nigerian Senate has ruled out amending the Electoral Act 2026 before the 2027 general elections, insisting that any changes to the law will be considered after the polls.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said the National Assembly had completed the legislative process and would not revisit the law while political parties were already preparing for the elections.
Adaramodu explained that although individuals and groups could submit petitions seeking amendments, the Senate would not reopen the legislation at this stage, warning that doing so could disrupt preparations for the forthcoming polls.
His position follows a recent Supreme Court judgment that reinstated provisions of the Electoral Act governing political party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures.
The ruling overturned an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had declared Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the 2026 Electoral Act unconstitutional.
The Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of a challenge brought by the Zenith Labour Party, which argued that the provisions infringed on political parties’ rights to manage their internal affairs. However, the Supreme Court upheld the provisions and reversed the lower court’s decision.
The apex court also restored aspects of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections that had been affected by the earlier judgment.
Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) regulate party membership registers, requiring political parties to restrict participation in primaries, congresses and conventions to members whose names appear on the registers submitted to INEC.
Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries and consensus as methods political parties can adopt to select their candidates.
The Supreme Court’s decision has renewed attention on compliance with these requirements, particularly in cases involving membership records, waivers and candidate selection processes.
Adaramodu maintained that the electoral framework would remain in place for the 2027 elections, adding that the legislature could consider proposed changes after the exercise if the need arises.
