Court Invalidates INEC's Deadline for 2027 Elections

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court invalidated the timeline issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties to conduct primaries and submit candidate nominations for the 2027 general elections. Justice Moham Umar presided over the case, which involved a challenge from the Youth Party against INEC.

The court set aside INEC's deadline of May 10 for political parties to submit their membership databases, declaring it inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. INEC has filed a motion to stay the execution of the judgment pending an appeal.

The court affirmed INEC's legal authority to fix timelines for political parties regarding primary elections, emphasizing that such timelines are essential for the electoral process. Justice J.K.

Omotosho delivered the judgment, stating that the court's decision should not create unnecessary confusion. The Nigerian Bar Association has been urged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance of conflicting orders in this case.