The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, and lawyer, Samson Itodo, has hailed the Supreme Court’s ruling restoring key provisions of the Electoral Act on political party primaries and membership registers, saying the decision averted potential confusion and strengthened preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 elections.

This follows the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, September 25, 2026, to uphold INEC’s appeal and restore key Electoral Act provisions regulating party primaries and membership registers ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ruling overturned an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal which had declared the provisions unconstitutional, bringing the rules back into effect ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on the ruling, Itodo said political parties must operate within the law, stressing that INEC’s regulatory role is necessary to ensure transparency and order in the electoral process.

“Thank God the Supreme Court didn’t rule otherwise today. Because if they had gone that way, it would have obstructed the entire 2027 elections. I tell you, if they had done that, this country would be in a state of confusion. So, thank God they didn’t go that way. So, we celebrate this ruling of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in this instance has upheld and protected public interest.

“A political party cannot be independent because you are in a democracy, and there are rules that govern the game. You need a regulator. That is why INEC is not just an election management body; it is also a regulatory institution. The law says political parties must submit their register. INEC is meant to monitor those primaries.

“So this effort by the National Assembly was to sanitize the process, and that’s why we celebrate this ruling of the Supreme Court.”

Itodo argued that electoral reform must go beyond amending laws to address the conduct of political actors, calling for consensus on the country’s electoral system and a change in the political class’s attitude towards elections.

“The truth is, we haven’t actually undertaken reforms to our electoral process; we’ve just been changing our laws. And it’s not about changing the laws.

“You need to look first at building consensus on what is going to be the nature and texture of our political process, especially electoral politics. We haven’t built consensus around that.”

Itodo also called on citizens to take greater responsibility in the electoral process by scrutinising candidates’ promises, engaging on issues and using their votes to hold leaders accountable.

We are not invested enough to engage on issues, interrogate the promises that these people are making, and when you’re going to vote, vote out terrible and bad leaders. Those are your oppressors and you need to liberate yourself from that.” (AriseNews TV)