Court of Appeal Upholds INEC Guidelines for 2027 Elections

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) guidelines for conducting the 2027 general elections, overturning a prior judgment from the Federal High Court that had nullified these regulations. The unanimous decision was delivered by a three-member panel, led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, which set aside the May 20 ruling of the Federal High Court that declared the lower court's nullification of the electoral guidelines as erroneous.

The Youth Party (YP) had instituted the suit against INEC, but the Court ruled that the party lacked the legal standing to challenge the electoral guidelines, failing to demonstrate how the guidelines adversely affected its interests or the conduct of its primary elections. The Court of Appeal further stated that the Federal High Court's judgment constituted a miscarriage of justice and therefore could not stand.

The ruling affirms the validity of INEC's electoral guidelines ahead of the upcoming polls.