Supreme Court judgment: Apex court reserves decision on Electoral Act 2026 dispute

The Supreme Court judgment on a major dispute over political party primaries and membership registers under the Electoral Act 2026 has been reserved. The case followed an appeal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against a Court of Appeal ruling that voided the disputed provisions.

The appeal, marked SC/CR/495/2026, arose from a suit filed by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

ZLP challenged parts of the Electoral Act 2026, arguing that the provisions on party primaries and membership registers conflicted with the 1999 Constitution.

However, the legal dispute moved to the Court of Appeal after the Federal High Court proceedings. The appellate court later voided the provisions at the centre of the controversy.

INEC subsequently challenged that decision before the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, a seven-member panel of the apex court heard arguments from both sides before reserving its Supreme Court judgment for a later date.

Justice Adamu Jauro presided over the panel during the proceedings.

INEC, which is the appellant in the case, was represented by senior lawyer Dr Alex Izinyon, SAN.

Meanwhile, ZLP appeared as the respondent through its counsel, Ikechukwu Anyalewechhi.

The case has attracted attention because the disputed provisions relate directly to how political parties organise their internal affairs, including the conduct of primaries and the management of membership records.

For now, the parties must wait for the court to deliver its decision. The Supreme Court judgment will determine the next legal direction of the dispute.

The case also highlights the role of the courts in interpreting electoral laws and examining whether provisions made by lawmakers comply with the Nigerian Constitution.

Until the apex court delivers its ruling, the legal arguments presented by INEC and ZLP remain matters before the court.