Court voids parts of INEC timetable for 2027 polls

Key Takeaways

• A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday nullified key portions of the timetable and schedule of activities released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday nullified key portions of the timetable and schedule of activities released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 general elections, ruling that the electoral body exceeded its powers by shortening timelines expressly provided under the Electoral Act, 2026.
• In a Certified True Copy obtained by on Thursday, Justice M.Umar, who delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the Youth Party against INEC, held that the commission could not lawfully abridge statutory timelines relating to party primaries, submission of candidates’ particulars, withdrawal and replacement of candidates, publication of final candidates’ lists, and campaign periods.
• The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, challenged aspects of INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 elections announced earlier this year.Under the timetable released by INEC, political parties were directed to conduct their primaries within a compressed timeframe ahead of the presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state assembly elections slated for February and March 2027.