Abuja High Court Dismisses NDC Challenge to Electoral Act

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, dismissed a legal challenge to key provisions of Nigeria's new Electoral Act, upholding the law's framework for handling disputes over candidate qualifications. Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that the suit filed by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) lacked merit, finding that the contested sections of the 2026 Act complement, rather than conflict with, the nation's constitution.

The NDC had sought to invalidate Sections 138 and 77(5) of the Electoral Act, which was passed by the National Assembly on February 18, 2026, and assented to by President Bola Tinubu. The party argued that Section 138, which excludes academic and other qualifications as grounds for challenging the return of an elected candidate after a general election, violates specific sections of the 1999 Constitution that prescribe eligibility criteria for offices including president, governor, and legislator. The NDC also contested Section 77(5), which stipulates that only persons listed in a party's membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before primaries are eligible to vote in those internal...