Court Nullifies INEC Timetable, Opens Defection Window

On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Moham Umar, nullified the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections. The court ruled that the time frame imposed on political parties for conducting primaries and submitting candidate names was inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Senior lawyers, including Magaji Mato SAN and Dayo Akinlaja SAN, welcomed the judgment, stating it enhances democracy and affirms the supremacy of the constitution. The ruling allows political parties, such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), and African Action Congress (AAC), to benefit from extended time to prepare for the elections.

It also opens a window for politicians dissatisfied with their party's primary processes to defect. The judgment emphasized that INEC cannot impose guidelines that conflict with the law, and political parties are not compelled to submit candidate names until 120 days before the elections.