Court Nullifies INEC's 2027 Election Timetable

On a significant legal development, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Moham Garba Umar, nullified the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections. This ruling is expected to offer fresh hope to politicians who were disqualified during recent party primaries.

The court determined that INEC's imposition of a strict timeline for political parties to conduct primaries and submit candidate lists was inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act of 2026. Justice Umar emphasized that Section 29(1) of the Act requires political parties to submit candidate particulars no later than 120 days before the election, and that INEC cannot lawfully shorten this period.

Furthermore, the court ruled that political parties retain the right to withdraw and substitute candidates up to 90 days before the election. The judgment arose from a suit filed by the Youth Party against INEC, challenging the electoral body's authority to prescribe such timelines.