The Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a major judgment restricting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s powers over the 2027 general elections.
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In Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, Justice M.G. Umar ruled in favour of the Youth Party, declaring that INEC exceeded its statutory authority in several parts of its Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 polls.
Key rulings:
– INEC cannot fix or prescribe timetables for when political parties conduct primary elections. Its role is limited to receiving notice, attending, and monitoring primaries.
– INEC cannot shorten the 120-day deadline for parties to submit candidate particulars, or the 90-day window for candidate withdrawal and substitution, as set by the Electoral Act 2026.
– INEC lacks power to publish the final candidate list before the minimum 60-day period prescribed by law.
– INEC cannot mandate campaigns to end 2 days before elections, as that exceeds its authority under Section 98 of the Electoral Act 2026.
– The court also held that INEC’s timeframe for submitting membership registers does not apply to primaries held to replace withdrawn candidates.
Justice Umar subsequently nullified all timeframes in INEC’s Revised Timetable that are inconsistent with the Electoral Act, 2026, effectively forcing the commission to realign its 2027 election schedule with the law.
The judgment, delivered on Wednesday and certified on May 21, 2026, is expected to reshape how INEC and political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.
