Court Nullifies INEC's Deadline for 2027 Elections

On a recent date, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Moham Umar, ruled to set aside the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) deadlines for political parties regarding the conduct of primaries and candidate replacements for the 2027 general elections. The court found that the time frame imposed by INEC was inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The suit, filed by the Youth Party against INEC, challenged the legality of the deadlines, arguing that INEC lacked the authority to abridge statutory periods for conducting primaries and submitting candidates. The court emphasized that political parties must submit their candidates not later than 120 days before the elections and that INEC cannot publish a final list of candidates less than 60 days before the elections.

The ruling allows political parties to revise their timelines for the 2027 elections, ensuring compliance with the law.