AfriPulse
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has nullified the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections.
Delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Youth Party, Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that the electoral body overstepped its powers by introducing timelines that restrict political parties in conducting primaries and other pre-election processes outside what is stipulated in the Electoral Act, 2026.
The judge held that INEC has no legal authority to determine the period within which political parties must conduct primary elections for the nomination of candidates ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Youth Party had dragged INEC before the court in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, seeking six reliefs over the commission’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the elections.
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Justice Umar granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
The court further declared that INEC cannot shorten the periods already provided by law regarding submission of candidates’ particulars, withdrawal and substitution of candidates, and other electoral procedures.
The judge consequently invalidated aspects of the commission’s revised timetable considered inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
“It is hereby ordered as follows:
“A declaration is hereby made that upon a proper consideration and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 29, 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the powers of the defendant to receive notice of party primaries and the personal particulars of candidates, and its duty to attend, observe and monitor such primaries, does not extend to fixing or prescribing the timetable within which political parties may conduct their primary elections for the purpose of nominating candidates for the 2027 general elections.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 which requires political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days to an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter timeframe in its 2027 election timetable.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026 which permits political parties to withdraw and substitute candidates not later than 90 days to the conduct of an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by fixing earlier deadline for the withdrawal and replacement of candidates in its 2027 election timetable.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory power to publish the final list of candidates for the 2027 general election before the 60 days minimum period prescribed by law.
“A declaration is made that upon a proper construction of Section 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory power or authority to fix in its timetable for the 2027 general elections for campaign to end 2 days before the elections.
“A declaration is made that upon proper interpretation to Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the time frame prescribed by the defendant for submission of membership registers for the conduct of primary elections is NOT applicable to primary elections conducted for the purpose of replacing withdrawn candidates.
“Order is hereby granted setting aside or nullifying the time-frames imposed by the defendant in its Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for 2027 General Election for the conduct of primary elections by political parties for the 2027 general elections,” the court held.
The court also held that the timelines fixed by INEC for submission of candidates’ personal particulars and electioneering campaigns were inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
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