Court voids parts of INEC timetable for 2027 elections in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified key portions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections, ruling that the electoral body overstepped its legal authority by imposing binding deadlines on political parties for internal nomination processes. Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the judgment on Wednesday, setting aside INEC’s prescribed timelines for party primaries, candidate submissions, withdrawals, and campaign periods.

The court’s decision came in a suit filed by the Youth Party, which challenged the legality of INEC’s Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities. Justice Umar held that while INEC has a constitutional duty to supervise elections, its powers do not extend to fixing the schedule for how and when political parties conduct their internal affairs. The judgment specifies that sections of the Electoral Act 2026 grant INEC the authority to receive notice of primaries and monitor them, but not to dictate their timing.

Specifically, the court declared that INEC cannot lawfully shorten the statutory periods outlined in the Electoral Act. This includes the 120-day window for political parties to submit candidates'...