The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the 2027 election timetable previously released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Delivering judgment in a lawsuit initiated by the Youth Party, Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that INEC’s schedule forced tight deadlines on political parties regarding their primaries and other pre-election actions, which violates the regulations of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Justice Umar maintained that the electoral umpire does not have the legal backing to determine or dictate the period within which political associations must hold their internal primaries to select flagbearers for the 2027 polls.
The complainant, Youth Party, had dragged INEC before the court as the only defendant in the suit registered under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026.
The political party had requested six specific reliefs in its originating summons, which was prepared and submitted on March 11.
Justice Umar ruled in favor of the plaintiff on all six demands.
The presiding judge declared that INEC cannot legally cut short or alter the statutory durations laid out in the Electoral Act concerning the filing of candidates’ data, the pulling out of aspirants, or the replacement of flagbearers, among other steps.
Consequently, Justice Umar invalidated the sections of INEC’s Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections that forced deadlines contradicting the Electoral Act, 2026.
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“It is hereby ordered as follows:
“A declaration is hereby made that upon a proper consideration and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 29, 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the powers of the defendant to receive notice of party primaries and the personal particulars of candidates, and its duty to attend, observe and monitor such primaries, does not extend to fixing or prescribing the timetable within which political parties may conduct their primary elections for the purpose of nominating candidates for the 2027 general elections.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 which requires political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days to an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter timeframe in its 2027 election timetable.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026 which permits political parties to withdraw and substitute candidates not later than 90 days to the conduct of an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by fixing earlier deadline for the withdrawal and replacement of candidates in its 2027 election timetable.
“A declaration is made that having regards to Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory power to publish the final list of candidates for the 2027 general election before the 60 days minimum period prescribed by law.
“A declaration is made that upon a proper construction of Section 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory power or authority to fix in its timetable for the 2027 general elections for campaign to end 2 days before the elections.
“A declaration is made that upon proper interpretation to Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the time frame prescribed by the defendant for submission of membership registers for the conduct of primary elections is NOT applicable to primary elections conducted for the purpose of replacing withdrawn candidates.
“Order is hereby granted setting aside or nullifying the time-frames imposed by the defendant in its Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for 2027 General Election for the conduct of primary elections by political parties for the 2027 general elections,” the court held.
The bench similarly decided that the deadlines introduced by the commission for submitting candidates’ details through their parties and the timeframe for political campaigns clashed directly with the stipulations of the Electoral Act, 2026.
