A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck down critical sections of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) updated timetable for the 2027 general elections. The court ruled that the commission does not possess the legal authority to shorten timelines explicitly established by the Electoral Act of 2026. In a ruling delivered on Wednesday—with a certified true copy made available on Thursday—Justice M.G. Umar held that INEC cannot legally mandate deadlines that contradict statutory laws. This includes regulations governing party primaries, candidate profile submissions, withdrawals, substitutions, the publication of final candidate lists, and official campaign windows.
The lawsuit, designated FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, was filed by the Youth Party (YP) against the electoral umpire. The Youth Party had contested multiple parts of INEC’s adjusted schedule, arguing that the commission overstepped its legal bounds by introducing deadlines that compressed the timeframes guaranteed to political parties by law. Justice Umar sided with the plaintiff, granting every declaratory relief requested in the suit. Specifically, the court ruled that under Sections 29, 82, and 84(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s mandate to receive primary election notices and oversee the process does not give it the right to dictate exactly when parties must hold those primaries.
Furthermore, the judge stated that INEC cannot legally truncate the 120-day window provided by Section 29(1) for parties to turn in their candidates’ personal particulars. The court also maintained that the electoral body does not have the jurisdiction to trim down the 90-day grace period allocated by Section 31 of the Act for candidates to withdraw or be substituted. Additionally, Justice Umar declared that INEC is barred from releasing the definitive list of candidates ahead of the minimum 60-day deadline required by legislation. Regarding electioneering, the court ruled that Section 98 of the Electoral Act 2026 gives INEC no power to order political campaigns to stop 48 hours before voting begins.
The judge similarly clarified that INEC’s required deadline for submitting political party membership registers does not apply when a party is replacing a candidate who has voluntarily withdrawn from the race. As a result, the court completely invalidated the specific timelines set in INEC’s revised 2027 election calendar, declaring them unlawful due to their conflict with the Electoral Act 2026. This ruling effectively voids INEC’s restrictions on the timing of primary elections, candidate detail submissions, nominee withdrawals and replacements, the publication of official contender lists, and general campaign timelines.
Source: https://guardian.ng/
