Overturn judgment nullifying 2027 election timetable, INEC prays Appeal Court

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn a Federal High Court judgment that nullified parts of its guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

INEC is also asking the appellate court to stay the execution of the judgment delivered by the trial court, pending the determination of its appeal.

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had last week struck down key provisions of INEC’s revised election timetable, which required political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participation in the 2027 elections.

The ruling followed a suit filed by the Youth Party, which challenged the legality of INEC’s directive and accused the commission of overstepping its statutory powers.

In his judgment, the trial judge held that INEC could not lawfully shorten the timelines already provided under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.

Dissatisfied with the decision, INEC filed its appeal on May 25 through its legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Alex Izinyon.

The commission raised nine grounds of appeal, arguing that the trial court erred in law by failing to properly address jurisdictional issues, which it claimed resulted in a denial of fair hearing.

INEC maintained that under Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties are only required to submit candidate lists not later than 120 days before the general election, while notifying the commission 21 days before primaries or conventions.

According to the commission, it does not possess the legal authority to impose additional or shortened timelines beyond what the Electoral Act provides.

The electoral body further argued that the trial court’s decision was against the weight of evidence and urged the appellate court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment in its entirety.

INEC also asked the court to strike out the suit, contending that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to institute the case.

It will be recalled that Justice Umar had ruled that INEC’s timetable violated several provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, including Sections 29(1), 31, 32, and 98, which govern submission of candidate particulars, substitution of candidates, publication of final lists, and campaign timelines.

The court consequently nullified the contested portions of the timetable, holding that INEC lacked statutory powers to impose deadlines inconsistent with the Electoral Act.

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