The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, has provided definitive clarity regarding the status of Rt. Hon. O.K. Chinda, confirming that the apex court did not issue an order disqualifying or invalidating his candidacy.
The judgment, arising from appeal number SC/CV/495/2026, centered on the constitutionality of Sections 77(5)–(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, as well as the INEC election timetable. By allowing the appeal filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Supreme Court set aside the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal.
No Disqualification Order
A forensic review of the CTC reveals that the Supreme Court made no pronouncement affecting the personal candidacy of Rt. Hon. O.K. Chinda. Legal experts have noted that the judgment was limited to the constitutional validity of specific statutory provisions and the INEC timetable, rather than a candidate-specific ruling.
The release of the CTC serves as a rebuttal to arguments previously advanced by several legal practitioners, including Deji Adeyanju, Liborous Oshomah, Chimenem Worlu, and Sogbeyi Eli, who had publicly asserted that the judgment resulted in the disqualification of O.K. Chinda and called on INEC to act accordingly.
Conversely, the CTC validates the position previously maintained by lawyers such as Barr. Godspower Egbule, who had cautioned against misinterpreting the judgment as an instrument of disqualification against individual candidates.
Scope of the Judgment
The apex court’s ruling addressed the following pillars of the 2026 Electoral Act:
Section 77(5), (6), and (7): Pertaining to political party membership registers.
Section 84(2): Concerning the procedures for the nomination of candidates.
INEC Timetable: The Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.
In its decision, the Supreme Court determined that the Court of Appeal erred in declaring these provisions unconstitutional. By restoring the trial court’s judgment, the Supreme Court affirmed the validity of these sections.
Legal observers emphasize that the judgment relates strictly to procedural and constitutional frameworks governing political parties and the electoral schedule, and contains no specific mandate to remove or disqualify any candidate from the 2027 race.
