IPAC Celebrates Court Ruling Nullifying INEC Deadlines

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) commended a Federal High Court ruling delivered on Wednesday in Abuja, which nullified certain deadlines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 elections. The court, presided over by Justice M.G.

Umar, determined that INEC had unlawfully abridged the statutory timelines established by the Electoral Act of 2026. The ruling came in response to a suit filed by the Youth Party, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, which challenged aspects of INEC's timeline concerning party primaries, candidate nominations, and the campaign period.

Egbeola Martin, the national public secretary of IPAC, stated that the judgment reaffirmed the supremacy of the Electoral Act and emphasized that INEC's guidelines cannot override statutory provisions. The ruling is seen as a significant victory for democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria, with IPAC urging INEC to engage more with political parties as key stakeholders in the electoral process.